F.A.Q.

Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions for First Generation Firebirds that have been asked and answered on FGF. Special thanks needs to be given to all the FGF members who took the time to respond to other member's questions.

Rubber: Measured in durometer units, they can vary in hardness. Most stock bushings are fairly soft and are a compromise to offer reasonable handling but keep the ride relatively smooth. Remember that the factory had to sell these cars to both speed enthusiats as well as buyers who would be troubled by a harsh ride or NVH.The Ford Mustang especially was criticized for it’s harsh ride, and Pontiac sought to improve on that. The WS6 cars of later years (including the present) use a harder durometer rubber bushing to limit deflection.

The downside of rubber is that it decays and wears out. This is accelerated when the car is pushed very hard as in road racing or heavy drag racing.

Polyurethane: A relatively inexpensive upgrade that limits deflection. Users typically see an increase in NVH, but is acceptable to those more interested in performance driving. This is a synthetic material recently introduced into automobiles. Some of the big names in aftermarket suspension designers use this such as Saleen (Mustangs), SLP, Kenny Brown, Hochkiss, etc. Since deflection is the enemy of precise handling, limiting it is a good thing.

The downside of polyurethane is that it is very prone to squeaking, and sometimes bind. The squeaking can be eliminated or at least limited by modifying the bushing shells to accept a grease fitting and lubing them regularly. Another bad aspect of polyurethane is cold flow. It seems that after a period of time, especially under hard use, the bushing material may deform, slowly flowing like a liquid, ultimately needing replacement. Increased harsness can be expected. I put them in a 1970 El Camino, and it is noticable. Because it is much heavier than my Firebird, the weight of the car offsets the stiffer ride. I’ve also got them in the front of my 1986 Mustang GT ragtop. I find the ride quite acceptable. But that car also has a 6 point roll cage, subframe connectors, and Koni shocks/struts. On rough roads with potholes, it isn’t very fun. But that isn’t very often either. Maybe if I lived in New Jersey…

Steel/nylon or aluminum/nylon (Duralum): Absolutely a sure fire way to get rid of deflection. Companies such as Global West, VSE, and others tout this as the best choice for slot car like handling. Some of my road racing pals use these as well as heim joints in the suspension. These are usually dedicated race cars, but not always.

The downside is increased NVH. I know that Glen says it was either not increased, or at least tolerable. But I suggest to anyone considering these to try and get a ride in a car already equipped. You may like what it does for your car, but it will come at a price measured in increased NVH. Some can live with it and be very happy with the results. Others cannot.

What did I choose formy Firebird? Stock replacement rubber (TRW). My car is a convertible that had a lot of squeaks and rattles that I hoped to eliminate when I rebuilt it. I decided that I could live with the deflection in trade for a nicer ride. I’ve got other cars I can turn to when it comes to burning up the twisties.

You have to decide what you want to get out of your car, and what you are willing to trade off. Once you know that, the choices may become more clear.

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A: As the others have said, the panels came on A/C cars and 400’s. Last time I visited Fabulous Firebirds, a used parts dealer in Missouri,they had some on the shelf that just needed a little paint. (Real GM sheet metal, not fiberglass). Call Charlie at Fabulous Firebirds…..573-783-5702. Hope that helps.

Only Sprints with A/C, which was the 3.8 Litre cars in the 1967 model year. The base 68-69 OHC6 4.1 Litre engines with one-barrels and A/C would also have the panels, as my 1969 OHC6 coupe with factory A/C has.

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I am cleaning up my bumper jack, jack stand, and tire iron. Can anyone on the list recommend what color appears correct for 1968? Seems like I’ve seen black and a light blue color on these pieces.

A: The blue is correct for 1968, but its not light blue. I had local PandB supply shop mix some up for me by eye match. so don’t know any codes or formulas. It matched perfectly so anyone should be able to match for you. The jack handle is gray.

A: The bumper jack and jack stand should be blue. The closest I’ve seen to the correct color is Ford Engine Blue which is available in a rattle can from Dupli-Color.

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Did pre 1969 Birds have a spoiler option from the factory? I thought that it was only available for 1st Gen Birds on the 1969 TA.

A: 1) No, the only way to get a spoiler on a 1967 or 1968 Firebird was to get a Camaro spoiler and add it on. Some dealers were willng to do this to deliver a car new this way, but that will never be “factory installed”.

2) The only way to get a spoiler on a 1969 Firebird was to order the Trans Am option, there was no separate option available for a spoiler only. Same again, though, you could get it through parts after April 1969 and add it on, or use the wider 1969 Camaro spoiler aquired through the parts department.

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I have a 1968 FB 400. It was originally green with a black vinyl top. Its now white with white top. Does anyone know whether I can remove the vinyl top and repaint as a hard top. I want black with purple glitter.

A: You can remove the top and repaint but youre probably going to be disappointed when you do . Every one I ve taken off has had some sort of problem hiding under neath. the factory didnt do a very good job of body work or paint under when they knew a vinyl top was going on it. hence youll find lousy lead joints at the top of quarters and maybe even some rust you didnt know you had. I retired my first 1968 that ive had since 1970 due to severe rust under the top. Its in the back forty and I looked the other day and it looked like it had T-Tops.I am currently restoring 2 other vinyl top cars ,a 1968 which was painted over and Im putting the top back on, and a 1969 that is being painted. My advise is this. If you take the top off for good then WELD the holes closed and use no bondo. The tits that hold trim on can be hacksawed off and carefully ground smooth . use a mininum amount of heat and cool carefully or youll warp the panels. take the whole top area down to bare metal and metal prep , then use a good urethane or epoxy primer. Good luck

A: Anything you do to deviate from stock is going to dramatically decrease the value of your bird. If you are concerned with resale, restore it. If you are going to be buried in it go balls out and paint the whole thing black with purple glitter, and put a 455 in it.

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I stripped off the vinyl off my 1968 and,after getting it down to bare metal,was wondering:
1- whats the best undercoat? I was thinking along the lines of a rust inhibitor topped off with rust-oleum.
2-whats the adhesive of choice?

A: When I worked at the GM plant in Fremont in the 70’s, cars that were to get vinyl tops got the same rust preventative (i.e. tank dunk!), primer and paint on the roof as the rest of the body. The difference was the weld seam joining the quarter panel to the roof. Cars that did not get vinyl tops had this seam filled with lead solder. I know because I was the guy who would grind the solder smooth (that job was great for you long term health – not!). Cars with vinyl tops had the seam filled with a bondo like product, after the area was painted. My father, who opened the Fremont plant in ’62, said they did it this way ever since they started putting vinyl tops on cars there.

A: In this game never say two words: never and always…. Ive got 2 vinyl top cars in my garage right now, both have been stripped to bare metal and both HAD body solder at the 1/4s and at the front pillars. I seriously doubt that these are the only ones that factory did this to. Ive had other vinyl top cars and all that I can remember had body solder in all joints. What is apparent is the lack of detail on finishing any body solder under the top.

A: I worked in a body shop for awhile and talked to the owner about this very subject due to the fact that my 1968 had a vinyl top. he said they were bare metal at the factory when the tops were put on,if you put too much stuff up there the top may come off.I would just use eastwoods coroless primer under the top,this will give you great rust protection and should not cause problems.be sure to scuff the primer alittle(just alittle,do not go through it…lol).this guy does resto work and insurance work,when I was there he had a 65 GTO conv. body hanging on the wall!!!! it was going through a frame off resto,I was in heaven….lol I did not work on that car,but did work on a 1969 camaro and a 57 chevy that already had pictures taken and was going to be in hot rod when done,don’t know if it ever was,but I would like to see it finished. well,hope this helps out.

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I stripped off the vinyl off my 1968 and,after getting it down to bare metal,was wondering-
1- whats the best undercoat? I was thinking along the lines of a rust inhibitor topped off with rust-oleum.
2-whats the adhesive of choice?

A: When I worked at the GM plant in Fremont in the 70’s, cars that were to get vinyl tops got the same rust preventative (i.e. tank dunk!), primer and paint on the roof as the rest of the body. The difference was the weld seam joining the quarter panel to the roof. Cars that did not get vinyl tops had this seam filled with lead solder. I know because I was the guy who would grind the solder smooth (that job was great for you long term health – not!). Cars with vinyl tops had the seam filled with a bondo like product, after the area was painted. My father, who opened the Fremont plant in ’62, said they did it this way ever since they started putting vinyl tops on cars there.

A: In this game never say two words: never and always…. Ive got 2 vinyl top cars in my garage right now, both have been stripped to bare metal and both HAD body solder at the 1/4s and at the front pillars. I seriously doubt that these are the only ones that factory did this to. Ive had other vinyl top cars and all that I can remember had body solder in all joints. What is apparent is the lack of detail on finishing any body solder under the top.

A: I worked in a body shop for awhile and talked to the owner about this very subject due to the fact that my 1968 had a vinyl top. he said they were bare metal at the factory when the tops were put on,if you put too much stuff up there the top may come off.I would just use eastwoods coroless primer under the top,this will give you great rust protection and should not cause problems.be sure to scuff the primer alittle(just alittle,do not go through it…lol).this guy does resto work and insurance work,when I was there he had a 65 GTO conv. body hanging on the wall!!!! it was going through a frame off resto,I was in heaven….lol I did not work on that car,but did work on a 1969 camaro and a 57 chevy that already had pictures taken and was going to be in hot rod when done,don’t know if it ever was,but I would like to see it finished. well,hope this helps out.

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Just a note about the Vinyl Top removal. It was mentioned earlier this year that a lot of the time cars got Vinyl tops due to welding problems or other flaws in the roof. Also, if they knew the car was getting the top, they would not do as good of a job.

A: No, the vinyl top was a scheduled option. The reason for this was special studs were welded to the body that hold the moldings trim that goes around the vinyl. These are the same studs you would find around the windshield and rear window frame that hold the window molding in place. As the car passed us we would lower a jig that clamped to the roof that had guides to insert the stud welding gun. There were several different types of jigs depending if the car had a full vinyl top, Landau top, etc. The jig did not guide the studs around the window frames however. These we installed free hand and you tell this because the studs are not evenly spaced nor was the distance from the edge of the flat surface of the roof.

If a vinyl top was added after passing through the body shop, it was done at the dealer. There was no facility to add it at the factory.

The solder and grind procedure used on cars without vinyl tops was an art that took a significant amount of time for a worker to develop (I know, I did this job too). If you run your hand across the joint between the upper quarter panel and roof seam, you may feel a wave and notice small grind marks next to the window drip rail. You may also notice a build up of lead solder around the end of the drip rail. The same is true for the front window posts. This is the trademark of a new worker who did get much training. Training was on-the-job and there weren’t extra cars to practice on, so you just did the best job you could. As the car progressed through the body shop, inspectors would look at the grind job. If it was really bad, they would have people called “metal finishers” touch up the solder joints as it passed finial inspection point. The metal finishers also touched up any other body flaws the inspectors caught.

A: When I worked at the GM Fremont, CA. plant I worked in the body shop where the car’s shell was welded together. For cars that didn’t get a vinyl top, we filled and grinded smooth the weld joint between the top of the quarter panel and roof. The windshield post joint was also soldered.

The cars that got a vinyl top had filler similar to bondo put in. Why this was done I don’t know but was probably related to cost. I’m mentioning this for those who are planing on permanently removing the vinyl top. You’ll be faced with re-doing this seam.

I have 2 orginal vinyl top cars here ,a 1968 and 1969 and both have body solder at the pillars and the sail panels. However they didnt have the rain gutter filled with seam sealer. I did have alot of work to the 1969 at the upper 1/4 seams to fix the poor body work as the vinyl isnt going back on it.

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I need advice from those of you with vinyl roofs. Mine is in excellant shape, just a tad faded. I was wondering what anybody has come up with, or uses, to get the”black” back and protect the vinyl. I checked the owners page and have seen some really nice tops. Just want to get that “New” look again. Thanks

A: SEM makes an unbelievable vinyl and leather dye. I got some from my local auto body supply house to dye a pair of boots and it worked great. I did them sometime ago and none of the dye has faded or flaked off. After that experience, I used some of it on some vinyl headrests in my van. Worked great there as well. I’m not sure how well it stands up to weather but I would suspect pretty good. Even if it starts to fade you could re-do it pretty easily. I believe it was less than $20 for a pint which should be more than enough to do a top a couple of times. it is pretty easy to apply as well. Clean the surface, rough it up with a Scotchbrite pad, clean with alcohol, apply product with a foam brush (I believe in 3 coats). The label recommended several (more expensive) SEM cleaner products but the guy at my shop said just use a wax and grease remover to clean it followed by alcohol to open up the pores – it worked great for me. It came out very smooth with the brush but I’m sure you could use it in a gun if you prefer.

A: Why not try black vinyl dye? I wouldn’t use the $3 type you buy in a spray but the professional type. Check with your local automotive interior installer and ask him what he would use. Get several opinions before you spend $$$.

A: there are several good vinyl restorer products avaliable but try this one for replenishiment of vinyl products…… Baby oil or Vasoline. It puts the oil back into the vinyl that the sun and years of aging took out. leave it on for awhile and buff off the excess. also works on tires

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A rock flew up from a gravel truck and broke my windshield over the weekend. Should I attempt this myself or have some cheap/quick glass company assigned by my insurance company fix it?

A: For The $150 it costs for a new one is it worth it? you ll sleep better at night doing it yourself. Dont forget to use urethane sealer between the glass and mouldings. It keeps the moisture and leaves,dirt out to prevent rust. The grey sealer for header moulding can be found at HomeDepot or electrical supply house. Its called DuxSeal and comes in 1 or 5 lbs clumps like modeling clay.

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My 1968 bird has power windows on it. As with any car with 100K plus miles of service, the windows, particularly the rear windows,are a pain to get up (No Viagara jokes here please!). I resort to the old tug methos to get them started (again, no other jokes here,please!) and then using the window switch they eventually get to where they are supposed to seat. My question is, to alievate this, is this just a matter of adjusting the window alignment??? or is there a tension adjustment somewhere? I looked at the service manual, but I am still conffused about the remedy.. Any help would be appreciated.

A: I don’t know about 1968 birds, but my 1969 cougar convert had the same problem. I removed the motor unit, and opened it up. What was once grease had the constancy of tar. I used carb cleaner cleaned and regressed them. The ones I have done this work much better. Also some time in the past someone had reinstalled a helper spring back wards on one window. And finaly check the switch or relays, the window draws a fair amount of currant and if there is carbon scoring on the switch this might be the problem. Try using De-Oxit to remove the carbon.

Becarefull when disassembling the unit, there is a spring that helps push the window up that stings like the dickens when (if) you let it hit you.

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I have a 1968 Firebird that has the firebird emblems etched in the glass. My bird has power windows and also the “Custom” interior. Is there any connection to these options? how are is this??

A: Regarding the ‘Bird’ etching found on some 1968 Firebird’s…

The process used to produce the ‘Bird’ Logo on the front side glass was referred to as ‘Etching’. To Etch does not necessarily mean to ‘sandblast’ an image into the glass; this can be accomplished in the same way as the supplier/date code info is ‘etched’ onto the glass. This was not simply painted on.

As far as verifying the reason’s behind why some received this special glass and other’s did not; the following is NOT true…

* Used on all Firebird’s built before 5-1-68
* Used only on Air Conditioned and/or Power Window cars
* Used only on Early Production cars
* Used only on Tinted-Glass cars

From the Registry-Survey I have been conducting over the past 8yrs, I have found ORIGINAL 1968 Firebird’s w/the ‘Etched’ Bird and also with or without the above features…in other words; mystery not solved. The only thing I have found is that all cars in the Registry w/the special glass are “400” cars…. all built between Nov.’67 and Jul.’68 including Lordstown and Van Nuys cars. Still need more info to be able to establish a consistent trend here.

A: Regarding the 1968 Firebird ‘Bird’ Glass mystery; I’ve collected documentation from many 1968 Firebirds during the 10 yrs I’ve been working on the 1st Gen. Firebird Registry. Out of the hundreds of cars, I have yet to decipher this mystery other than to say that the Etched White Birds on the front side glass appeared only on the early 1968 Firebirds. I’ve found them on original, documented, one owner cars that have been 400s, 350s, with and w/o A/C, with and w/o Custom Trim Option, Coupes, Convs, Clear Glass and Tinted, automatics and 4spds. I’m currently trying to establish the latest build date for cars having this special glass. It could be that this feature was pulled due to production costs. Your 1968 350 Firebird w/Bird Glass being built around the 1st week of March is certainly one of the later ’68s I’ve heard of getting this feature. I’d be interested in adding any of your current/former Firebirds to our Registry. If you wouldn’t mind sharing the VIN, Trim Tag info as well as descriptions and/or documentation. We’re still doing quite a bit of research into this and other 1st Gen. mysteries. Thanks very much for your interest and support.

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I was looking at the Bird emblem on my side window which people say is etched. It does not look etched but instead some type of paint. Is mine original?

A: I dont know where the phrase of etched glass was started but they arent. Its actually a type of paint similar to silkscreen,and can be scraped off. If it was etched it wouldnt be higher than the glass, it would be engraved. Check yours out and see.

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Hi everyone, I was pulling my doors apart on the weekend and noticed that my passenger side door glass is tinted. No other windows are tinted. Probably a really stupid question but if you have tinted glass is it for all windows or just the front two and not for the quarter windows ?

A: …You either got a Tinted Windshield or Tinted Glass (all) which meant all side glass including quarter glass.

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A: Remember the basics, gentlemen – all three years had different glass. Although the 1968 and 1969 appeared the same when installed, the concealed bottom was different. The 1968 was straight across, while the 1969 glass has a curve across the bottom. I have only seen etched bird glass with the straight (68 style) bottom.

A: Not true ole buddy… I have 1968 Birdglass thats curved like the 69s. So may we say that its could be that 1968 and 1969 share a same glass, in certain cases. Use the date code if in doubt as to what it is. Also they changed manufacturers between 1968 to 69. PPG to LOF. I think some 69s had PPG.

A: One thing I know for sure, the July 1969 parts book gives a replacement glass listing for 1968 and 1969 as the same, eliminating the earlier design 68 glass. Do you ever remember seeing the etchings on curved glass (later) style?

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Was there an optional passenger side side view mirror available and how do I find the correct one for my car. Were there two different kinds used in 68: 1967 mirrors on some of the firebirds in 1968 and some 1968 mirrors on others. How do I find out which ones I need? To make matters worse I need the remote type for the drivers side.

A: …In 1968, all cars came standard with a LH (drivers) Side-View Mirror. Remote Control Side View Mirror was optional.

*The rectangular (square) 2nd Type Std. Mirror came into Production after Jan.1968 (This may have been Gov’t Reg. related)
*There were (2) Different LH Door Outer Panels as a result of this styling change due to stamping differences. Mounting Bracket is also different.
*There was an Accessory Pkg. for LH Remote Ctrl. Mirror in ’67/’68… 984758 (ALL) 984752 (Pont.) 984974 (Temp.)
*I’m sure many Dealers sold a matching RH (pass.) Mirror however, there was no separate part number for this; they simply used a LH Mirror (exc. remote)

…Repro’s are available. Std. Mirror is same for all F,T,P. Remote Mirror is NOT the same as Tempest or Full-Size as many used parts dealers try to say.

…Actually, they used a ROUND and RECTANGULAR Style (*see above*) The 1967 Std. (or Rem.) mirror was not used for 1968 Firebird production. I’ve seen some very early ’68’s and they have 1968 style mirrors.

…Based on your Build Date. I’d say if it’s after Jan. 1968, go with the rectangular style This is where a Survey of owner’s would help confirm this ‘running’ change’

…I’m hearing that a repro is underway for other year/application remote mirrors besides the ‘Chevy’ style that is out there. There are NOS one’s floating around; expect to pay Hemmings Prices ($200-$350). Remember, the Mirror Housing itself is the same for 1968 Firebird, Tempest, Full-Size; however, the pedestal (base) is not.

A: …From preliminary research within the Registry Files, I’ve found that the 2nd Type (Rectangular) S.V. Mirror was being installed as early as the 2nd Week in Dec. ’67. Infact, two particular Firebirds in the Registry are very close in Build Sequence; both built the 2nd week in Dec. and one having the Round Mirror, the other with the Rectangular Mirror. Both are documented, original unrestored cars.

A: The 1967 and 1968 Firebird Remote Mirrors are different. The ‘left-over’ rule did not apply. I’ve never seen a documented 1968 Firebird with a 1967 Mirror. 1967 had a larger, longer Base while 1968 was rather stubby. The 1968 Firebird Mirror is not the same as the 1968 Camaro. Also, keep in mind that all other Pontiac Remote Mirrors in 1968 appear to be the same but upon closer inspection, the base is definitely different (different casting numbers too). The Round Mirror Housing itself is the same. Cable Length varied depending on Model.

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A: There were actually differences between 1968 and 1969 glass, but the July 1969 parts book lists the replacement as the same. On your 68’s with original glass the glass has a straight line across the bottom, the 69’s have a curve across the bottom. You cannot see this with the door assembled. Then there’s the “bird emblem” issue on some 68’s, I don’t think of the few I’ve seen any have been of the later curved style.

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A: A special tool is available that is basically an L-shaped blade with a good handle that will cut the adhesive around the glass so it may be lifted out. All auto glass shops have them.

A: The first (and only) time I tried to remove a windshield was with this type of tool. Insert, twist, and POP! Crack shoots across the glass…. I’m not sure the tool was sharp enough, though…

I believe it’s an art…..

My next attempt will be using Piano Wire (or guitar string, or similar). Poke hole in sealant, push wire through, wrap each end of wire around a stick, and have one person on the inside and one on the outside and slowly and carefully saw around the edge of the window. Well, that’s my next attempt, and I’m sticking with it. Especially after I ruined that windshield

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The specific incident that I am referring to in regards to a window malfunction is as follows: I lowered the passenger-side rear window about two-thirds of the way. When I tried to raise it the crank wouldn’t budge. One of us had to pull up on the glass while the other cranked. It went up but was left “off track” and tilted forward a couple of inches. I was told by them and others that this is a common problem for Firebird/Camaro owners with no real solution except to leave the windows up or put them back on track in a hurry when it rains at the cruse. As usual, any help you guys can give me is appreciated.

A: Have you ever noticed that convertible rear windows work smoother than coupes? I have (had) both. My theory is that the convertible rear windows get used more because the car looks better that way when the top is down. Unless there is someone in the back seat of the coupe, the windows hardly ever get rolled down.

If your quarter window is tough to move up and down you may want to remove the thirty year old grease (at least it used to be grease) and replace it with some white lithium. If you do a good job, they will work better then your front windows.

A: I had the same problem with my 1968 when I first got it. I pulled the back seat and back door panels to find that both rear windows had broken rollers. These rollers are plastic that fit into a metal track and after 30 years, they just plain give out. I ordered new rollers, I think from Classic Industries for about $3 each. Now both windows work great. Pull the door panels, you may find the same problem, or maybe something else, but it can be fixed!

A: If that’s the case, I would remove the glass. Look at the guide rollers, guides and everything that moves. Get everything clean and lubed. If there are broken, loose or missing parts, now is the time to correct it. Work the regulator without the glass in it untill it is really smooth. Keep checking the lube on the regulator and pivots (ya gotta have the little plastic louvered vent thing removed from the post for this). Clean the rolling parts on the glass untill they operate smoothly. I used a penetrating spray oil to clean, and Tetra-Gun white grease for lube. There are probably better products for this, but that’s what’s on my shelf. When you re-install the glass you make all the adjustments (up and down travel, where the top meets the wx stripping, and the tilt). Things should work better. You still might have to assist the window slightly. Oh yeah, watch what you touch, your hands WILL be filthy! Also, keep small children and tender ears away while you’re working on these D*** windows. Now is the time to install new water shields too. Heck, might as well do the front door regulators too.

The procedure is outlined in the manuals. If you dont already have these, they will pay for themselves in no time. I recomend the chasis service manuel, the Fisher Body Service manual, the Pontiac Parts catalog, and the Parts illustration book. These are the best reference for your car, and the illustrations are good. The price for all four will exceed $100, a price you will forget long after you remember the conveneince and quality. Even if you get stumped, you will have a good idea of what some of us are talking about (assuming we know what we are talking about)!

A: I have had lots of 67-9 Birds and never had one of the windows fall of track they do get stubborn as the gease hardens with age. An easy solution for 1968,69 is as follows. Take out the black plastic “vent” for flow thru ventilation (one screw ) this will enable you to get to the rollers without removing the side panel (sorry 1967 owners you must do this) get a fresh can of Brake Kleen and fabricate an extra long straw to get to rollers and track. Spray until most of the old grease is removed. Get a can of spray white lube and respray the rollers and track. work the window up and down helping it until the grease is worked in. respray and work in again. If this doesnt work then the roller must be replaced, which requires window removal. Forgot to mention that all convert. are minus the flow thru vent. Must do as 1967 hardtop and remove the side panel or possibly just the u shaped weatherstrip to gain enough access

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My 1968 convertible bird has stock power windows. They work, but are real sluggish and draw a lot of current when raising or lowering. I installed new wiring recently so the problem must be in the motors. I am considering removing the motors (all 4) and cleaning, re-greasing, and maybe taking them to an electrical shop that specializes in motor repair. Has anybody had any experience with this? What’s the best way to get the motors out?

A: I have power windows on my car also. My car is a low mileage car, but my windows stuck also. In replacing my quarter panels, I had easy access to the window mechanism. The grease had mixed with dirt and turned into a clay like substance over time. After cleaning and regreasing, they work fantastic. Also, don’t forget to examine the rollers. If they are worn badly, they will cause the windows to bind.

By the way, high current draw from the power window motors usually comes from high mechanical resistance to movement. That in turn creates the high current draw.

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My rear glass has not rolled down since I bought the car, it was nice out yesterday, decided to take a look. I couldn’t get them to move at first, then I took out the regulator and it appeared fine. I could slide the window up and down by hand, but after reinstalling the regulator I could only get it up and down using both hands; one on the crank and one on the window maneuvering it up, down, in, and out. Any ideas with “walk me through instructions”?

Also, the chrome and rubber seal on the front of the glass; the rubber is rotten. Is this replaceable, is it a rubber piece and a separate chrome piece, or a single rubber and chrome piece? Instructions?

A: If the rear windows weren’t used much, chances are the grease got too hard. On my 1969, I used a combination of Liquid Wrench and lithium grease to get them moving again. I took the jamb vent out and sprayed the tracks and regulator drive gear and kept working the window up and don until it moved smoothly. Then, I lubricated the tracks and the regulator with white lithium grease. Both the Liquid Wrench and white lithium were in aerosol cans.

The rubber weather seal in the quarter window is replaceable but the chrome edge is not. Keep looking at the swap meets or try and buy some out of Arizona or So Calif.

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First the scenario – I took apart the back portion of the interior to attend to the power window switch (as well as a really shaky window). I re-seated the single switch (3 prong) to the “female” receptor and tried it again… no good. Then I simply put a little pressure on the switch and receptor with my fingers and it worked… if I take the pressure off it don’t. So now for the question… is it the switch or the receptor?

Any one experience this or had experience with the switches?

A: most likely the problem is the wiring connector and the plastic base that holds it. the hairpin type wiring connector loses tension after it is overheated( usually due to a poor connection or a binding motor or window).I would first check the switch pins and clean them with a scotchbrite pad. Next is to disassemble the plastic connector harness. remove the small screws and carefully lift out the wiring and connectors. Squeeze the connector togeather at the point where it slides onto the switch post this will retension the connector when reassembled . As with any electrical work ,disconnect power(battery) first. a little electrical no-corode at the terminal will help to maintain the contact.

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Well, it looks like the sides of the rear-window channel in my ‘bird are rusted out pretty bad. The left, and right sides are starting to flake away but the top and bottom part looks okay. It appears as if someone removed the rear-window and didn’t seal it properly allowing water to enter that area and sit and cause rust.

So, my question is what repair options do I have? Could I sand the area out and fill it in with lead? Should I cut apart a junker and weld the rear window area in? Should I just weld in some sheet metal? Should I just have a body shop do it?

A: Had this problem on the 1969 Bird I’m working on now. I went down to the local sheet metal shop and had them bend some 22 gauge metal in four foot sticks to repair them. The “sticks” were bent with a 3/4″ lip (the portion that goes under the window), a 3/4 rise (the portion that the trim clips will be attached), and a 1/4 overhang (I Mig-welded this to the outside along the sail panel). I had to buy a 4×10 foot sheet of the metal. Total cost for fabrication was about $60. For the rounded corners I notched the metal to make a smooth sweep. I followed this with a product called “All Metal” ( a water proof filler). So far it look pretty good but I haven’t installed the clips or window yet. However I don’t foresee any problems.

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My rear quarter windows don’t go up or down very well. I have to help them. I bought new rollers, but I can’t figure how to get the old ones out or new ones in. Any suggestions.

A: One of my rear manual crank windows needs help, too. It’s because it tilts forward so I’d bet the track needs to be repositioned properly. Maybe same for yours?

A: My 1969 convertible had this problem. Usually it’s not the track since it would be VERY hard for it to come off. There are 3 wheels and it seems that the middle one seems to be the usual culprit. That’s what it was on mine. I bought it at a Pontiac dealership but I think they are available through the catalog companies.

As far as getting to the channel, you need to pull your back seat out and then remove the side pannels. You will see an access plate that you can remove to get to the mechanism but you will need to remove the channel out (I did anyway) to get to everything.

I’m going by memory since I did this about 2 years ago but it’s fairly obvious once you get in there.

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Guys I am going to have a little time soon to work on the bird and i have a question I hope someone can help me with. The back windows in my bird fall forward when I roll them down you have to fight with them to get them back on the tracks to let them up again, I looked at the bushings and they looked ok but they probley need replacing has anyone else fixed this problem .

A: Remove the roller/guide thats got a stud in it that swivels like a ball joint and replace with a new one. Remove all traces of old grease and relube all the guide/rollers with good white lube. Move glass up and down several times helping it by grasping top , until lube is spred out like it should be. Keep windows lubed up and should work fine. Youve got a 1968 hardtop so youre lucky as you can relube without pulling rear panel off . Just pull out the flow thru grille.

A: In addition to the above, you can also replace the other two rollers. The one with the spring is easily replaced (after removing the bracket from the glass) and the other more difficult because the stem that holds the roller is riveted in place and the rivet must be ground off, drilled and tapped and put back in with a wide but thin machine screw. I have power windows so this may not apply if you have only one roller – I don’t know if the bracket that goes on the glass is different from manual windows. Anyway , I have done this and the windows work like new. The only place that I have found the roller parts (other than the swivel roller mentioned above) is “Rick’s First Generation Camaro” catalog. See http://www.firstgen.com/

A: I replaced one of the center wheels in my convertible and that fixed the problem. Basically you have 2 outer plastic wheels and one inner wheel that rides in a slot. If the inner wheel is broken then the window doesn’t track correctly and you have to help it with your hand. I bought it at a Pontiac dealership parts department (they had to order it). They didn’t have the exact drawing for the bird but in flipping through some books we found one that looked correct from a different car. I’ll see if I still have the paper work with the part # (I know I should have documented this but ….). It was only $10.00 or so. You’ll need to pull your back seat out as well as the side pannel and then you can get to the access pannel to the window mechanism.

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My 1968 convertible has problems with the windows. The front window has a gap of 1/4″ in the front lower corner.The front and back windows arces don’t match. Could this be wrong windows? we have had these windows adjusted and no improvement. Are there other windows that could have been installed or is there any way to correct them. The frame is good it’s never been a wreck. any ideas would greatly appreciated

A: I’m not sure if there is any adjustment in the front windows but I have removed the back window in my 1969 convertible to replace one of the rollers that go up and down on the guides (the center one) and there are quite a few adjustments to get the window to lign up correctly again. The guide mounts on 3 studs (it may be 4 but as I recall it was 3) that allow you to change the pitch of the window (to align it parallel to the front one) as well as it’s tilt (front to back). It takes a while to get it right but with some patience it’s doable. You need to remove the back seat and the arm rest and side covers to access the area.

Does the window go up and down smoothly? If not, it could be that one of the rollers is broken or popped off the guide. I actually bought mine at the Pontiac dealer (special order) for about 10 bucks.

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I need to install a new front windshield. Did it include the rubber molding around the windshield?

A: There is no rubber molding around the first gen birds. Both front and glass ws installed using butal rubber tape (kind of a tar like substance). These days, most glass installers use stuff that even better.

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I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to do emblem restoration? Is this something I can do myself? I have all of the emblems except for the passenger side “Firebird” front emblem, and the “400” trunk emblem. All of the emblems are in decent shape — except all of the black/red paint isn’t there anymore. There is a bit of silver flaking on a couple of them, but nothing I really want to worry about right now.

Is this something I can do myself with a paintbrush? Are there specific colors I should get?

A: Unless your doing a Concourse restoration, close is good enough. Because of the size and distance, most people couldn’t tell if its not the perfect shade. I’ve panted emblems a couple of ways:

1- Clean well with lacquer thinner and an old tooth brush.

2- Choose your paint. I’ve used engine enamel and applied it with a fine paint brush. I’ve also applied it with an old WD-40 straw (I couldn’t find my brush). Make sure you put enough on the emblems to “flow” up to the edges.

2b- I’ve also used fingernail polish. It sounds strange but it comes with a brush, it’s enamel paint, and the colors are great. It’s a little thin so it may take two coats.

Good Luck.

A: I have done on a number of cars over the years. It works and last a long time.

Remove all the old paint.

Wash with paint thinner, then mild detergent

Dry

Take a pan tin, turn it upside down and punch holes to fit the emblems prongs

Place emblems, letters etc in tim and paint. if it requires more than one color do only one at a time.

Prewarm an oven to 250 degrees

Place tin with emblems in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

After all color painting is complete brush on a clear coat and bake it for 10 minutes.

The heat bakes and smooths the paint. I just saw a vette I restored in ’91 and the emblems looked like new. (no he had not replaced them)

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Hey guys, I searched the archives but could not find info about reworking the 3.8 Liter OHC hood emblems. Is it possible and who does it. Thanks

A: There are still lots of 3.8 liter hood emblems left out there NOS… I ve been looking for 4.1s but it seems I always found 3.8 ones. PS dont bother reworking them its just not feasible.

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Today I found the grille emblem for my bird in the trunk, instead of “Firebird” it says “Custom”. I suppose this was part of the pink mist package, has anybody seen this before?

A: This emblem could have come off several locations which might be determined by the type of fastener used for the “Custom” emblem. Possible locations include the hood emblems (used 8-9420185 Nuts for “Overhead Cam”), the front fender emblems (used 6-9420621 Nuts for “Firebird”), front grill emblems (used 2-9789188 Brackets and 2-9785896 Retainers for “Pontiac”) (least likely), the trunk emblems (used 2-9421827 Nuts for “400”), or rocker panel emblems (used 4-9420621 Nuts for “Sprint”)(most likely). I have not seen this before but it could have been a part of the special paint package (Pink Mist) your car came with that year. This would be identified on your body tag with the paint code ‘special.’

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Does anyone have a template for mounting a 400 trunk emblem to a 1968 firebird? I think it is right above the reverse light on the passenger side, but I would like to have factory dimensions. Any help would be appreciated.

A: I found a dimension template that you might be able to use on the Generation-1 Registry web site.

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Does anyone have a template for mounting a 400 bumper emblem on a 1968 Firebird?

A: I found a dimension template for the 1967 – 1968 400 bumper emblem that you might be able to use on the Generation-1 Registry web site.

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The nose emblem that was on my ‘original’ bumper was a cast piece of metal that was lightly polished and had a rubber surround gasket that was removable. I ordered emblems from both Year One and The Paddock, and one was made of rubber, the other was cast plastic. I sent them both back because I can’t believe that GM would put junk like that on their premium 400 cars.

A: The correct, original Emblem for the 1967-1968 Firebird 400 Frt. Bumper is infact a molded hard-rubber part. There is a steel reinforcement insert inside of it which the mounting studs attach to but there is no metal visible. The metal ‘Crest’ Emblem you refer to was only used on certain Full-Size Pontiacs & Grand Prixs. The correct Emblem you need is only available as repro. Quality is supposedly ok. Early repro parts exhibited very poor shape & fit.

A: Ijust installed the repro I bought from Ames and it’s not bad. The outward apearance is very good. The only part I didn’t like is that the original has some extruded rubber surrounding the studs that make it fit just right in the holes on the bumper where as the repro does not so you have to center it by eye and then tighten it down. No biggie but I don’t think it would have cost them that much more to add to the mold.

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Did all 1st generation Firebirds that came with 400 engines have all the exterior “400” badging and 400 scoop hoods (except 1967 hoods)?

A: The “400” option on the 1967-1969 Firebirds included exterior badging (Decklid, Hood “400” emblems), Scooped (closed) Hood and of course, the 400 engine. This option also included chrome moldings in the middle of the Grills for the 1967-1968 and a Pontiac Crest emblem on the Front Bumper for all 3 years.

A: You forgot the 1969’s also had chrome molding in the grilles. It rimmed the “grille” (the actual opening). This did not include the 1969 Trans Ams with the blacked out grilles. Also, the 400’s for all 3 years had chrome air cleaner lids and valve covers, and dual exhausts. Floor shift was part of the standard 3 speed trans deal, unless automatic was specified but not the console.

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What is the correct style for my 1968? I heard there were to versions: Finger pull or flat

A: All 1968 Firebirds had the ‘finger-lift’ feature built into the Emblem meaning, the Emblem is not flat but has an opening under the tail for your finger. This emblem is available as a reproduction. The flat-design Fuel Door ‘Bird’ Emblem was used in 1967 though, some late 1967’s began using the finger-lift version. This emblem is also available.

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The nose emblem that was on my ‘original’ bumper was a cast piece of metal that was lightly polished and had a rubber surround gasket that was removable. I ordered emblems from both Year One and The Paddock, and one was made of rubber, the other was cast plastic. I sent them both back because I can’t believe that GM would put junk like that on their premium 400 cars.

A: The correct, original Emblem for the 1967-1968 Firebird 400 Frt. Bumper is infact a molded hard-rubber part. There is a steel reinforcement insert inside of it which the mounting studs attach to but there is no metal visible. The metal ‘Crest’ Emblem you refer to was only used on certain Full-Size Pontiacs & Grand Prixs. The correct Emblem you need is only available as repro. Quality is supposedly ok. Early repro parts exhibited very poor shape & fit.

A: I just installed the repro I bought from Ames and it’s not bad. The outward apearance is very good. The only part I didn’t like is that the original has some extruded rubber surrounding the studs that make it fit just right in the holes on the bumper where as the repro does not so you have to center it by eye and then tighten it down. No biggie but I don’t think it would have cost them that much more to add to the mold.

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Did all 1st generation Firebirds that came with 400 engines have all the exterior “400” badging and 400 scoop hoods (except 1967 hoods)?

A: The “400” option on the 1967-1969 Firebirds included exterior badging (Decklid, Hood “400” emblems), Scooped (closed) Hood and of course, the 400 engine. This option also included chrome moldings in the middle of the Grills for the 1967-1968 and a Pontiac Crest emblem on the Front Bumper for all 3 years.

A: You forgot the 1969’s also had chrome molding in the grilles. It rimmed the “grille” (the actual opening). This did not include the 1969 Trans Ams with the blacked out grilles. Also, the 400’s for all 3 years had chrome air cleaner lids and valve covers, and dual exhausts. Floor shift was part of the standard 3 speed trans deal, unless automatic was specified but not the console.

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2) The 1968 Firebird Dealer Order Form lists option 494 (Rally Stripe) as available on all except with option 344 (350 H.O.) since 344 came std. with the stripes.

3) The 400 H.O. did not come standard with the Rally Stripes but one could order them according to Sales literature.

4) The 1968 Parts Catalog lists part numbers for Black, Red & White “H.O.” Stripes as well as the plain stripes (front fender).

5) The “Generation-1” Firebird Registry has several members with original, documented “Rally Stripes” including 350, 400, H.O. and even a Ram Air I car.

6) The Body Broadcast Sheet lists the (3) different color codes for the Rally Stripe.

A: the stripe for the 350 HO was an HO stripe. You are correct in the colors, red ,white and black. All colors were closely coordinated with paint and interior color combos. i.e. white car and parchment(white) interior wouldnt get an ivory stripe. As I stated before only the 350 HO was avaliable (and standard equiptment) with HO stripes. Any other engine combo got the Ralley stripe for a mere $14.74 extra. You could do a delete on the HO stripes (350 HO CARS) but it was a no cost no refund item. The orginals were vinyl and held up very well, still have the orginals on my 1967 Sprint.One of the best ways to see if your car was equipted with the HO 326 and had the stripes is spend $35 for PHS to verify….. Unless you can find the build sheet.

A: the ralley stripe option. This was avaliable in 67-8 on any engine combo except the HOs. The ralley stripe is sometimes called “SPRINT” stripes by mistake…does anyone on list have an orginal 400 ( or anything except an HO) with the ralley stripes? Many people dont realize that it could be got that way.

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I’m considering painting the H.O. stripes on my 1968 coupe, instead of using the decals.

A: if you are afraid of the stripes faiding,try this tick I learned when I worked in a body shop.apply the decals before you clearcoat and then proceed with the paint job as normal,they will not fade.

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I have a 1968 FB 400 Convertiable Verdero Green with Ivy Gold Interior; and supposed to have gold top (now black; couldn’t locate gold); the car is a 400 HO with automatic trans and air conditioning. The question that I have is whether or not my car is supposed to have HO stripes or whether they were an option. The packet from PHS does not list optional stripes so unless all HO cars had them I dont believe that mine should–any help would be appreciated.

A: The only H.O.s that got the H.O. stripes were the 1967 326 H.O. and the 1968 350 H.O. The 400 H.O.s could have been ordered with the Rally stripes but it wouldnt have had the letters “H.O.” on the front fenders as the smaller V-8 H.O.s had. If you got the Billing History from PHS and its blank in the 494 column then your car wasnt ordered with Rally Stripes.

Another note is that the 326/350 H.O.s and Tempest/LeMans Sprints could have the stripes that were standard equipment deleted (not used). This would show up as column 491 of the Billing History. It was a no credit option delete.

These stripes were color coordinated to complement interior/exterior combinations. A good example is a black car with black interior. It wouldnt get a black stripe but instead got an ivory stripe. If a black car had red interior it would get a red stripe. Etc. The three colors avaliable thru out the years were red,ivory and black.

You can be creative and put H.O. on a 400 car, I have a friend who thought the same as you and did this on a 400 convertible. He later upgraded the powertrain to a R/A and had the words RamAir made into the same strpes. Keep in mind that none of this is correct but 99.9% of the admirers thought that it was. I have another idea thats a variation of that… My sons 1968 Firebird coupe is red/ black vinyl top and interior. I am making a set of rally stripes in black that will use the word “Sprint” from the 68-9 Tempest /LeMans Sprint. So other than the attentive list members I doubt that anyone will pick up on this. Have your fun and make the car the way you want. A set of stripes is easily removed and if the proper material is used wont harm a decent paint job.

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What is the difference between the Ralley Stripes and the H.O. stripes?

A: The H.O. stripes are very similar but not the same as the ralley stripes. The ralley stripes were avaliable on all 67-8s EXCEPT 326 and 350 H.O.s. These stripes used the same door and rear 1/4 stripes, but the fender stripe was continuous in the center portion instead of having the letters H.O.

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I just bought an aftermarket hood tach for my Firebird. Now, where to I put it?

A: I’ll give it a try… here goes….All references are as though you are sitting in the drivers seat; therefore “right” means closest to the center of the hood, “front” means closest to the bumper, etc. Aussies, you’re on your own!

From the left rear corner of the tach to the left edge of the hood is 4.75″

From the left rear corner of the tach to the rear edge of the hood is 3.75″

From the right rear corner of the tach to the rear edge of the hood is 2 13/16″ (two and thirteen sixteenths inches)

Ulitmately, I would fudge these numbers a little bit in order to get the tach face square to the axis of the car.

Hole size required in the hood is 3.75″. It is not drilled directly in the middle of the tach space, but is offset in one direction to accommodate the tach housing and wires below. I had a paper detailing this hole as well, but I’ve misplaced it. You’re on your own with that. If I find it, I’ll let the group know…

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Was there a specific stripe for Sprint Firebirds or did they receive the optional Rally Stripe?

A: Actually the 1967-19688 Firebird stripes were called “Rally Stripes” and were avaliable on any model except the 326/350 H.O. cars(which got the H.O. stripes as standard equiptment).The misnomer of Sprint birds having “Sprint stripes” was spawned in part to the picture in “The Fabulous Firebird” book by Michael Lamm. The other was the Tempest/LeMans Sprints had them as standard equiptment. This then carried on to the suppliers /retailers calling them Sprint Firebird stripes.

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A: There is a difference between the hole size, mounting holes and location between 1967 (tall style) and ’68-1969 (short style).

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Inyour expert opinion what is the best way to replace the H.O. stripes?? Obviously they are available in all catalogs as decals as original. Do the decals hold up? I have also heard people say to apply the decal prior to the clearcoat on a new paint job to also preserve the stripe, I have also heard of painting them on.

A: I dont know what the others are using for material… Ive seen some piss poor copies of HO stripes but wont get into that here. I do know that the factory used 3M Scotchcal vinyl. 3M is in my opinion still the best thing going 35 years later. I still have the orginal Sprint stripes on my 1967 Tempest Sprint, and it hasn’t had the best of care (My wife once scrubbed the car with soft scrubb) They are weathered and scratched but it is testament to the abuse that good vinyl will take.

3M now has a high performance vinyl with a UV coating built into it. I wouldnt advise clear coating over the stripe as the vinyl will expand and contract at a different rate than the metal and paint. This would then promote cracking under the clear and would make a real big mess when trying to repair/replace any portion of the stripes.

As for the idea to extend the life of well kept vinyl, how much longer would you expect? BTW these arent decals they are vinyl appliques (just a fancy word for stripes). As for the painting of the stripes in lieu of vinyl, thats your choice. I will tell you that the 3M vinyl is only 2 mils thick and paint at that thickness is almost transparent. You also wont get the crisp detail and edges with a paint on job vs a die cut vinyl stripe.

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The Hood Tach was not exclusively a Dealer Installed Option; Most were factory installed though, I’m sure many dealers did install them as have many enthusiasts over the years. The factory would not have cut a hole just anywhere; there was likely a punch operation for factory hood tachs (an assembly line does not allow for a cutting operation). Sure, you can install one wherever it looks good but if you want it to be correct; get the dim’s from a factory hood with the tach. Also, the factory and dealers used rivets in addition to the nuts (for security).

A: The repor Hood Tach has gone through many revisions since it first came out in the mid-80’s. The most significant thing about the one you can buy today is it’s functionality. It is much better than the original GM Hood Tach (better circuits, lighting) however, as good as it works and looks, it has one obvious thing that distiniguishes it from an original GM tach; the face is plastic and has a sort of ‘fuzzy’ look to it. Not really a big deal unless you’re picky (like me). Those who must have ‘perfection’ can send theirs off (or buy one) from a number of Tach Restorers around the country who offer silk-screening in addition to rebuilding. I’m sure others on the list can elaborate more on the repro tach since all I’ve ever used is original, used, rebuilt or NOS Tachs.

A: The Hood Tach first became available sometime in Feb/Mar of 1967 on all Pontiac Models. The first style was the “TALL” style which refers to the height of the case. Also, the first style used only a single light bulb and there were variations with the face colors and redlines depending on carline and engine.

1967 Firebird (and very early 1968 Firebirds) used the Tall Style. Face background was Black with Green characters while the GTO and Full-Size had Steel Blue Backgrounds with White characters. After supplies of the ‘Tall’ Style Hood Tach were exhausted, the 2nd style came into production. This was a ‘shorter’ case (by an inch or so) and now had (2) bulbs instead of the previous (1). This new style was released into production on April 20th 1967 (even though early 1968 Firebirds continued using the Tall Style). The face on this first ‘short’ style was of a circular pattern. On June 29th 1967, this face was changed to an ‘oval’ pattern.

Face background was steel blue with white characters. The final major design change came with the 1969 model. The face background was changed to black with white characters. The Hood Tach lasted through ’72 production. From 1967 – ’72, there were many Redline variations for different engines/models including the OHC-6 cars and Ram Air engines. The 1967 OHC-6 Firebird had a 6500 redline. This was later changed to 5500. RA II used the OHC-6 5500 redline. All other applications used a 5100 redline. The rarest would be the ‘supposed’ Hood Tach released for the RAV engine. Back in the 80’s, “Purely PMD” from NM built a 1969 Judge with a complete RAV engine and found what was described as the only known RAV Hood Tach that had a lights for ‘shifting’ built into the face.

Anyhow, there’s my ‘long-winded’ reply on Hood Tachs. As with any information, there will always be exceptions to the rule and other variations. I welcome any constructive criticism provided there is some inkling of supporting evidence. What I’ve shared is from various PMD Parts Books, GTO/Firebird restoration guides, articles, and Service Bulletins.

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A: Part of a proper restoration or just for a daily driver is to replace all decals and labels. Starting in 1968 there was an emission /tune up label on all Firebirds. This was on the front bumper upper structure. I havent seen any proper reproductions of this tune up decal for 68s as it was a clear decal with white lettering as to be placed over the black painted area of the bumper assembly. I do have some NOS ones that I will one day use as a pattern for the proper reproduction. The 1969 are different than the 68s but the content is the same.

Another label thats out there is the spare tire inflator canister label. This too is incorrect but is a close copy. Rich has so graciously loaned his original canister to me to make a proper copy. After countless hours of having my computer crash while in the design stages, its finally done. I guess I could have just stuck one of these Osborne labels on and no one would have noticed. But its the striving for perfection that drives most of us to do the silly little details. Perhaps I can seek professional help on this like they do in Hollywood.

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NOTE: The repro Hood Tach that is currently on the market has been ‘refined’ over the years but still differs (slightly) in appearance to an original. This difference is in the face (plastic, fuzzy) and the Face Trim. The functionality and lighting is superior to an original Tach. Both Randy Watson and “The Tach Man” can rebuild/restore to appear original but use updated components/circuitry.

A: I agree, Randy is very good at what he does and very knowledgeable about Tach Restoration techniques. I had a price schedule of his services somewhere but I can’t seem to locate it at the moment. From what I remember, these are the basic elements to a restoration……

– CASE… (repair or replace case, face trim, base)

– FACE… (restore, silkscreen, replace faded, rusted faces)
*NOTE: there were some repro ‘adhesive’ faces being sold awhile back. Certainly a cheap alternative to silk screening though, not as ‘concours’.

– CIRCUITS… (repair or replace Printed Circuit and/or components of it)
*By the way, for all you elect. types, these pieces can be purchased cheap at most Electronic supply shops.

– HEAD (or movement)… This is the where the ‘needle’ resides and may require repair or recalibration.

– WIRING… The correct ‘rubber’ Bulb Sockets were also used on certain year tailights. Duplicating a correct harness is not that difficult and much cheaper than buying a repro harness (if you have the correct sockets, connectors which are all easy to find in a junk yard).

Now, if all you want is a Hood Tach and you don’t want to spend over $200, you might be better off with a repro Hood Tach. Internals, Lighting is better than originals and the only major difference is that repro’s have a somewhat ‘translucent’ Plastic Face (letters/numbers seem ‘fuzzy’). Those who must have 100% original/correct appreance.. contact Randy.

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I think the hood tachs look great, but are they very factional? Can you read them clearly. Could you very a shift point from 5200 rpm to 5000 rpm? Can you read them that accurately?

A: I’m going to create some more waves and say that I never liked the hood tach for “function ability”. It is not that accurate, hard to read(at least for my poor eyes) and doesn’t have dampener circuitry that most good tachs have.

I have always used the Sun Super tach which I upgraded to a Sun Super tach II in mid 70s when they came out with that. I mount it on the steering column with a band clamp wrapped with rubber tubing to prevent scratching of the steering column. For those of you that are worried about originality the tach has a plug at back to disconnect the wiring harness, which can be tucked up under the dash,while showing the car.

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Does anyone know exactly what the difference is between Coupe and Convertible Wiper Arms and Blades. Is it both the Arms AND Blades that are different or just one of the two?

If nobody knows, maybe someone could measure the length of their Couple Wiper arms and Blades and let me know……

A: I don’t have my coupe wipers here, but the easiest way to tell the convertible wiper arms are they are marked! They have stamped on the back of the arm RH CONV and LH CONV, and there’s about (this is from ancient memory) 3/8″ to 1/2″ difference in length from right to left, the left is shorter. The stamping is just past the casing, on the piece the blades clip onto.

A: …I measured my original 1968 conv. Wiper Arms.
RH 12″
LH 11.75″
This measurement was taken from the tip of the arm where the Blade attaches to the end near the pivot. Also, original conv wiper arms have “RH CONV” & LH CONV” stamped on the reverse side. Repro arms are both the same length unlike originals.

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My billing history indicates my 1968 came with custom trim. What was included with this option?

A: For the 1968 Firebird, the Custom Trim Option (554) included the following….

Custom Seat Covers (Morrokide and stitched knit vinyl)
Custom Molded Door and Quarter Trim Panels, Assist Bar (above Glovebox) Dual Horns, Deluxe Wheel Covers, Deluxe Steering Wheel, Custom Pedal Trim, Front & Rear Wheel Opening Moldings, Drip Rail Mldgs (Coupes), Windshield Pillar Garnish Mldg. There are some who have been saying (in error) that only those cars with the Custom Trim Option had the etched white ‘Bird’ on the front side glass; this is not so and has been proven by many original STANDARD trim Firebirds.

The RH sideview mirror was not a part of the Custom Trim Option.
Many owners upgraded or opted to delete certain things beyond the Custom Trim Option (wheel opening mldgs, wheel covers, steering wheel). Additionally, all of the components of the Custom Trim Option could be ordered separately on a Standard Trim car except for the Custom Seats and Trim Panels and Assist Bar

A: Use following link to find more information about the Custom Trim Option on FGF: More Information

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Is there a way to repair the printed circuit board? I don’t think it would hold up to any type of heat and it is just a small break in one of the circuits causing the malfunction….

A: I have successfully repaired several printed circuit boards by soldering a small piece of bare stranded copper wire across the break. Use very small rosin core solder and a small tip on a low wattage iron. Remember to clean and tin the wire ends and foil before mating together.

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Early on in the restoration of my 1968 convertible I replaced the windshield washer pump because it was leaking. As a lot of restoration projects go, the car wasn’t put back together and run for several years after the install of the pump.

I later discovered that when I started the windshield wipers and then then pressed the button to start the washer that the washer would start but not turn off unless I turned off the windshield wipers. Now every time I start the wipers the darn washer pump goes on without me pressing the washer button.

I thought my windshield wiper/washer switch was broke so I replaced it with another one purchased at a swap meet. Guess what? The washer pump still activates when I turn on the wipers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A: I remember my birds doing this in the 70’s, and part of the problem was the gear was worn, or the position of the pump needed to be adjusted slightly. There’s not really any room to adjust much, but somehow I got it working again, I believe it was purely a mechanical thing, not electrical. It’s been a long time, and I am being rather vague, but it’s all I’ve got for you.

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I’m trying to figure out how my new rocker panel moulding strip goes on my 1969 firebird. The last time I had molding on it was 12 years ago and I can’t remember . What I have is two Nos mouldings right out of the GM packaging each moulding came with a small bag of screws and one of the packages had two 1 inch by about 24inch metal strips each with three holes in it and both stamped with the letter R. I see that these strips hold the moulding on ,on the top . My Question is,where am I suppose to connect the metal strips one on each side, ? Or both on the right side because they are marked with an R and if this is correct it means I’m missing the two strips for the left side.

A: You should have two “one inch strips” per side. One spans the front of the rocker panel and onto the back of the fender. The other mounts directly behind the first on the rocker panel (lip side up). The molding has places for one screw in each end. The one in the back simply screws through the molding and into the rocker panel. The front screws into a plastic insert in the back of the fender. Then all that is remaining is the screw along the bottom of the molding, into the rocker panel.

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We recently purchased a 1968 Firebird 400 car. The car isn’t the original color otherwise it is all original right down to the wire wheel hubcaps. It has air conditioning and deluxe interior. It also has a body side molding that looks like it belongs on the car but we haven’t seen it on any other Firebirds. The trim runs from the back of the front wheel opening to the front of the back wheel opening. It’s chrome with pointed tips and a rounded black vinyl in the center. Do you know if this is an original option or has someone added it?

A: Regarding the Vinyl bodyside moldings, there is no listing I can find that shows this as a factory/dealer option though, I wouldn’t doubt it if a dealer did install these (or an aftermarket brand). Similar to various shapes and sizes of Sideview mirrors and seatbelts.. back in the 60’s, just about anything was possible.

A: According to the original Pontiac Sales Manual, this (Body Side Molding Vinyl Inserts) was a standard body feature on the Catalina, Executive, and Bonneville. Nothing mentioned for the Firebird in that section, optional equipment, or prices. All I could find available are an optional vinyl rally stripes which these do not sound like. My 1968 had the body side molding vinyl inserts on also before I restored it. Note that some ‘special’ equipment was installed at the dealership and I have found many old Firebird articles and ads had the side moldings on them in the pictures.

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At times I’ve seen small cracks in at the top of the windshield post at the roof line. Do you or anyone else know how to fix these permanently? I had a Bondo artist tell me to “just fill it with AllMetal and move on” but I’m quite leery about this. Do I have to solder them back?

A: I have repaired small cracks or defects in body solder with 30/70 solder and a small low watt soldering iron. clean the area real well before soldering and use tinning butter to prep. You must melt the area around the defect to blend the new solder in. this takes some practice so you may want to try this on a junker first. Clean the area off with a baking soda solution to neutralize the acids and then follow with plain water a couple of times. This is a better approach than bondo or filler. Remember to wear a dust mask when grinding or sanding lead.

A: I worked on new cars (back in the 70’s), not ones that were 30 years old. But I do know this. The weld between the windshield pillar and the roof is about an inch or so below the roof line. The solder however extends all the way to the roof line, about 1 1/2″ inches down the along the drip rail, and about 1″ along the roof windshield face toward the center of the car. The solder that extends past the welds becomes very thin after grinding. Given that it’s a soft metal I think it’s just cracking due to stress. The welds themselves and the metal reinforcement around the weld point is very strong (strong enough to not come apart during a roll over). I think you’ll see metal fatigue cracks above the pillar where the sheet metal is thin before you’ll ever see it on the pillar.

The solder does not add any structural integrity to the body, it’s purely a cosmetic convenience (bondo takes too long to dry and the car is “dipped” about an hour after the body completes the welding process). I think it’s cracking at a “thin” point and just resolder it.

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Regarding the 3 vertical chrome trim pieces below the rear windows, I’m assuming I have to remove the inside panels to get to their fasteners. Is their anything I should know in advance regarding them? Do I need to remove the seats? I’m gonna reuse them as they are in real good condition. Are they clipped, bolted, or what? Can I reuse the fasteners?

A: For a coupe, you dont need to remove anything except the flow thru vents at the 1/4 panel to get to the chevrons. Use a 1/4 drive socket/ratchet and carefully back off the nuts as so you dont break the studs off. Check and see what style your chevrons are. They had 2 types early and late 1968 one style has smaller studs than the other. Just curious as to when they changed.

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Was the luggage rack an option available from the factory? My buddies Firebird has one on the roof and he insists it came from the factory that way.

A: The luggage rack was dealer installed only. I have only seen pictures with it mounted on the trunk and not the roof so I am curious also.

A: It was indeed trunk mounted only on the Firebirds. It was the same as the Corvette except a minor change on the feet. I have a friend that has one that came on his 400 convert. He has removed it and put a deck lid without holes. He says the mounts started leaking, and was really hard to clean around. Speaking of obscure options anyone got the snow ski mounts?

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While comparing the date code on my 1967 engine to the Fisher Body Tag, the dates are about three weeks apart. Should I be concerned my engine is not original even though it has the correct engine code (matches docs)?

A: As for date coding, the general rule of thumb for drivetrain components compared to Body Assy Date is anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. I’ve seen documented cases where some components were the week before Body Build and as distant as 3 months for things like an alternator. Generally, 6 weeks is the usual maximum. Keep in mind that there are no absolutes when it comes to date coding. Inventory Control 30 years ago was not like it is today. Most people will say that NEVER should a drivetrain component be dated AFTER the Body Build Date however, “never say never”. There have been special cases where the entire engine assy had a casting date after the Body Build Date. This could have been the result of production shortages and/or special build orders.

Also, remember that the Fisher Body Build Date on the firewall Trim Tag is not the final assy date. This Month & Week Code denotes the week that the body shell was assembled at Fisher Body. Again, in special cases, the body shell might have been pulled or put aside from the regular production flow due to a special order or part shortages. The Final Assy Date can be found on the Billing History. Listed as the “Invoice Date”, this is when the car left the final assembly line and was ‘certified’ to be shipped (bought-off). Once again, there could have been factors that delayed this date from being assigned to the vehicle or shipped. Part shortages, mis-builds, repairs would delay buy-off.

Your Firebird body shell was scheduled and assembled during the 4th week of October 1967 (23rd – 27th). This was the basic painted shell with glass, carpet, headliner, seats, some trim. From there,. it was transferred to the Final Assy Plant (Lordstown, OH) for Final Assy. This is where the front fenders, hood, bumpers, trim and drivetrain were installed. The Invoice Date on your Billing History would tell you when the car left Final Assy. The “WK” Engine Block you have (I177) was cast on Oct. 17th 1967. From there it was sent to the Engine Assy Plant and then to the vehicle Final Assy Plant where additional components were added to it before being installed to the vehicle. One could estimate that if it was cast on the 17th (Tues.) then it was probably not assembled until the 20th or 23rd. Figure another couple of days until it arrived at Lordstown for Final Assy into the car. In this hypothetical scenario, there is a chance that this particular engine COULD have been installed into a Body built during the 4th week of Oct. 1967. Variables would be how long it sat at the foundry, shipping time, scheduling and routing through selectivity banks, etc.

Often times, lower production vehicles were built according to a batch order. This would result in many of that particular model, color, engine being routed through production within the same week or period of time. This explains the Body Unit Number found on the Trim Tag and special in-plant codes found on the corner of the Trim Tag (usually found on Van Nuys or Norwood cars in late 1968 or 1969).

Hope this helped. As always, this information is from various sources and research others or myself have done. Exceptions usually DO exist to every rule.

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Can someone explain the two different types of grilles on the 1967 bird? One type has a chrome strip running down the center that extends out toward the nose and on the other, the chrome piece ends at the louvre part of the grill.

The ones on my bird are the latter, but the previous owner gave me an extra set that is like the former.

It looks as if I can remove the chrome strip and attach it to grilles on the bird since thay are just bolted on.

A: In regards to the 1967-1968 Firebird Grill Chrome….

The “400” Firebirds had seperate chrome moldings in the grills (covering the center bar, extending towards the nose) and the non-“400” cars did not; you would just see the molded in plastic center bar. It sounds like some are implying that non-“400” cars had the ‘flat’ chromemolding when infact, this ‘molding’ is actually a part of the plastic grill and not chrome at all. The grills themselves were identical; you can take std. grills and drill them for the moldings (which are unique for RH and LH).

A: The extended mouldings, along with the arrowhead emblem on the front chrome “beak,” 400 emblem on the right rear trunk lid, and scooped hood were 400 items exclusively. They are not correct on non-400 cars.

A: The 400s came with the twin scoop hood, Pontiac arrow head on the nose of the bumper, and chrome ring around the inside of each grill (look at grill and notice the mounting holes). All models (350, 350 HO, 400, etc.) used the same grill but the chrome ring was added to the 400.

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Does anyone know who sells these chrome overlay pieces that go in the middle of the gille and continue all the out to the nose of the bumper?? Do any of YOU have some for sale?? HELP!

A: Chicago Muscle Parts in Island Lake, Il. show these in their catalog. part #893774, $79.00/pr. These are a reproduction item. I called and the price is still good, but the parts are now out of stock, having sold the last pair to me. The sales guy didn’t know when they would get more in stock, but said that if we could get together an order of 10 or more, they could get them in in less than 3 weeks.

The partnumber for the 400 grill trim is #893774. I called then today and found that they once again, have only one pair in stock

These are the hockey stick trim pieces that fit horizontally in the400 grill.

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I am getting two different answers from restoration veterans about the correct grill insert color on a 1968 with a 400 (RamAir or otherwise). Several guys have told me that the silver/gray was the only color available and that the extra chrome strip was the only difference. To back this up I have found an article in Januarys High Performance Pontiac Magazine about a purple 1967 RamAir 1 restoration. The magazine called the car “one of the most correctly restored 1967 Ram Air Firebirds”. It has silver grills. Still other people have told me that the 400 option included grills painted an almost black charcoal gray with the extra chrome on top. Evidence of this can be seen on the cover of the spring ’98 Year One Catalog (also a ’67). I need to paint my grills soon, so I can get the car back together before spring.

A: The 1967-8 Firebird grilles were identical, except for how they were painted. The correct grille colors for the 1967-8 Firebirds are as follows:

1967 – Argent Silver outer, with a Black center.

1968 – Charcoal outer, with Argent Silver center.

The Charcoal and Argent Silver are the same colors that are used on Rally II wheels and they should be a satin finish, not gloss.

For both years, only the Firebird 400 came with a chrome (hockey stick) bar in the center of the grilles.

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Does anyone know the correct grill colour for 69’s. I read the FAQ on Geoff’s site and it covered 1967-1968 but not 1969. Are they all silver or do they have a black center?

Do you paint the grill black (in addition to the silver) or does the whole insert stay silver. I have seen some 69’s with the centre all silver and others with the centre painted back?

If it is does have a black center is it matt or semi gloss?

A: It’s all silver (Argent Silver).It should be the same shade as the 1967-1968.

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I just bought a 1968 coupe here in Oklahoma and the front bumper has a gap of 1/2 to 3/4″ between the rear of the bumper and the front bodywork (fenders and hood). Is there supposed to be a filler strip between the bumper and bodywork, or is the bumper too far forward?

A: There should be a rubber filler behide the bumper.

A: My 1968 has a black rubber filler and is the same distance. I also found this in the Dealer Technical Bulletins that sounds like it applies in this case:

PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION Number 67-1-5 Section 14 Data 9/22/67

Dealer Service Information Bulletin

Attention: Service Manager

Subject: 1968 TEMPEST HOOD TO BUMPER CLEARANCE (EXCEPT GTO)

Some concern has been expressed over the appearance of the gap between the front bumper and hood on the 1968 Tempest. Reports have been received of attempts to eliminate this gap by setting the bumper rearward. This practice should be discontinued immediately.

Proper clearance is 3/4″. This can be checked by simply inserting a dime into the gap. It is important that there is 3/4″ clearance to prevent the hood and front fenders from damage due to minor impacts.

SERVICE DEPARTMENT
P0NTIAC MOTOR DIVISION
GENERAL M0TORS CORPORATION

Read, Initial & Pass On – Service Supervision Parts Accounting

I did not find any reference to the rubber filler in the 1968 Service Manual and Fisher Body Service Manual.

A: First, there is a black filler strip that goes around each edge of the chrome bumper. It attaches to the plastic grill assembly. Look at section 14 of the 1967 Firebird Service manual, it tells exactly how the bumper is to be attached.

Second, be aware of the possibilty that your front bumper is twisted. This is VERY common for the 1967-1968 bumpers. They are long and easily twisted without noticeable dents or other clues. Fortunately they can be muscled into place if the twist isn’t too bad, but from personal experience I know that even putting a true, straight one on correctly is a process requiring patience.

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I need the list expertise. I need to remove the valence or sheet metal between the windshield and the hood, any ideas?. Also the whole bumper and grill arrangement.

A: To remove the cowl panel (the sheet metal between the hood and the windshield), first remove the wiper arms then the four screws in the front of the panel under the hood.

As far as the bumper, you should be able to remove it in one piece. Look behind the bumper and in front of the radiator. To the left and right, you should see the bumper horns that are attached to the front of the frame. If you remove the bolts behind the bumper the whole assembly should come off in one piece.

A: I haven’t done the control arms yet, but the valance isn’t that bad. The hardest part is to remove the wiper arms. It’s best to use a special tool for this (I know JC Whitney sells it for about $10). Otherwise, you can use a screw driver to move the locking clip underneath. As the name implies though, the screw driver will probably screw up your paint job (that’s up to you whether it’s worth it or not). The locking clip is on the bottom of the wiper and presses against a knotch on the shaft. Once you have the wipers off, there are several screws along the front edge where the hood overlaps. On mine, once those screws were out, I could lift up on the front edge and slide the whole thing forward and out from under the chome window trim. This way, I didn’t have to remove the trim.

A: Whenever I find myself in a situation where the paint job might get scratched, I put some masking tape followed by a layer of duct tape down on the area that could be damaged. The masking tape protects the finish from the duct tape glue while the duct tape absorbs the scratch. After removal, some denatured alcohol should eliminate any residue.

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Does anyone have a template for mounting a 400 bumper emblem on a 1968 Firebird?

A: I found a dimension template for the 1967 – 1968 400 bumper emblem that you might be able to use on the Generation-1 Registry web site.

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Figure 12-7 in the Pontiac Service Manual shows the bulb as LH (or RH) PARK & DIR. SIGNAL LAMP. It also shows marker lamps, but this seems to be an error since the assembly wraps around the corner of the car to serve as both the parking and marker lamps.

I am trying to figure out what type of parking lamp is correct for my 1968. I have also heard there is a one bulb version and a 2 bulb version. What is correct and what is the difference?

A: …Actually, there were 2 types of 1968 Firebrd Parking Lamps. One type had a single bulb, another had two bulbs. 2 bulb is very early 68. Only for a couple of months of production

A: The two-bulb parking lights had one bulb that was a parking lamp and the second side-facing bulb was a cornering light. I saw a factory option list that had this as an option. The parking lights on my 1968 have the wrap-around lens and only one front-facing bulb. This seems like a reasonable thing seeing how there was a distinctly different harness for the two-bulb versus the one-bulb lights

Was there a certain number of turn signal assemblies that had two bulbs in it versus single bulb?

A: Early model 68s had the 2-bulb markers,which were phased out in the first couple months of production. Any models had this not just one or another. As near as I can tell its sometime in Sept. that it changed to a single bulb.

I think that alot had to do with the new government requirement to have side impact markers in 68. The Firebird didnt have a separate marker like the Camaro did ( much cleaner look than the ugly step sister) so they put a separator and bulb in the turn signal housing. Later it was modified to illuminate from the side and front with one bulb thereby saving money. Doesnt sound like much of a savings but one dollar each car and it justifies that cost engineers position.

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A: Awhile back, there was much speculation about which 1968 Firebirds got the two-bulb parking lamp housings vs the one-bulb. I found the answer while reading the tech bulletins at firstgen. It was a mid-year change as well as a service swap-out.

A: Actually, it wasnt a midyear change…. more like a false start in production. Ive had several late Sept cars that had the single bulb and some early Sept cars that had the 2 bulb. This leads me to believe that it was used only for a few weeks in early production and when they ran out they were replaced with the “cheaper” version.

Here’s how this all happened. Model year of 1968 was mandated several safety changes/additions, one of which was front and rear side markers. PMD was unsure whether the front turn signal- parking lamp would be accepted as a side marker. When it was apparent that the side marker was legal without a separate bulb the first design was phased out. It was then that a replacement part superceded the earlier one.

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Two questions: Is the rubber gasket around the front of the 1969 that seperates the headlights housing and grill from the fenders and hood suposed to be black or is it O.K. to have it body colored. Will paint stick to it or flake off soon.

A: The rubber should be black and yes paint will flake off.

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In regards to the front chrome bumper on my 67 bird convertible, there is a gap of almost an inch between the bumper itself and the hood/fenders. Now I attended the recent Pontiac Southern Nationals and saw no 1967 Birds, but saw a couple of 68’s – they appear to have some sort of rubber “gasket” between the bumper and hood/fenders, but in some of the pics I have seen for these cars the bumper looks to be closer to the hood than my car is. I don’t see this gasket listed in the Ames catalog and I am wondering if the bumper can be adjusted closer or where I need to get the gasket from.

A: 1967 didn’t use the rubber fillers but I have seen a lot of them with a steel trim plate instead. the gap can be adjusted. Just make sure the hood and fenders line up first. Shop manuals gives dimensions of the gaps to set up by.

This would prevent any light from the headlight from leaking out of the gap in the side. In 1968 they went to the rubber to prevent any light from headlight from leaking out. OF course 68s had side markers so it seems funny.

I am looking for some info about getting my front bumper on a 1967 firebird 400 convertible. re-chromed. Can anyone give me names of some places that do this and are good?

A: Try TriCIties plating in Tenn. They do good work at a reasonable price. Sandblast the inside of yours and knock off the rough edges and sharp edges at the rear portion and you will get a nice job.

A: make sure that you tell them to buff the sharp edges where the dies cut metal off on the backside or trailing edge. It gives the bumper a nicer finish.The only part I wasnt thrilled with was the rear at the tabs with holes(that serve no purpose once installed) the plating didnt get all the way under neath the tabs. Franks says it wont as by design the plating comes from underneath in the tank. I noticed the originals didnt have any there also. Just clean off the surface rust and repaint with silver POR 15.

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A: I sent an E-Mail to Jim Mattison regarding gloss level on the firewall since the High Performance Pontiac articles were unclear. Here is the response he sent me…..

Thanks for the kind words on my 1967 Ram Air Firebird. The car looks much better in person than it does in the magazine.

To answer your question concerning engine compartment detailing, the gloss level on the firewall area is a 85% black.

I hope that this information is helpful!

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I was reading through my Classic Industries catalog and noticed a “front light harness” which mentions …”with cornering lights”. Pardon my ignorance but does this mean that the lights mounted under the headlights are parking lights only? Do they “flash” when the indicator is set or is a different assembly required ?…Why “cornering lights” ?

A: The “cornerning lights” werent really that…. It was a 2 lamp turnsignal/parking /sidemarker lamp that had an extra single filament bulb on the rear portion of regular housing. If you look at all the 1968 front lenses youll see a partition in the lense for 2 seperate bulbs.

This was not the same as other models cornerning lamps such as the Bonnies and GTOs. It was merely an extra parking lamp which helped for a side marker. It operated only when headlamps or parking lamps were on.

It was not an option as some people think. It was standard equiptment for all models of 68s. It was phased out sometime around early Sept.67. Probably a matter of suppliers keeping up with demand. It was a running change so its not clear cut as to when it was phased out. I ve seen some orginal cars built with the provisions (extra wire and socket was clipped off and taped back into harness.) Parts book makes note of this telling service replacement to do the same. Ive had several cars built late into Sept without 2 lamp front lights and some in the 1st week of Sept that have the 2 lamp. From this I would say perhaps the early Sept cars were the last of them.

Help! I would like some info about how to safely remove the headlight pull switch to replace the bezel on a 1969 bird. Thanx.

A: There is a small button on the side of the switch that releases the knob and arm.

A: There is a button on the side of the switch that faces the door. It is next to impossible to reach from underneath the dash without removing at LEAST the ball vent tube. I took a piece of welding rod and kept bending by trial-an-error until I could slide it through the gap between the dash panel and the windshield pillar (on top) and was able to press the button from the top. Take a flash light and shine through the gap and peek through the bottom of the windshield. You may be able to see it.

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Can I put a 1967 400 hoods on a 1968? What type of problems or modifications will I need to make?

A: For all you trivia buffs the difference in 1967 and 68-9 hoods is not the hinges, its in the inner frame and the hood latch. And yes, its important even to a non purist when he replaces his 350 hood and it wont latch, OR if it does latch and then comes open at 60MPH. The 1967 400 hoods had a inner structure that was unique to that model and year only. The 68-9 400 used the same inner structure as all 68-9 flat hoods. I havent tried to put a 1967 400 hood on an OHC-6 but I bet it wont fit. So question again ,whens someone going to repo these in USA?

A: I always look forward to your comments. They agree with my own experiences and usually add to what I know. I just went through installing a nice 1967 400 steel hood on my 1969 bird. The following is what I learned in the process.

*The 1967 400 hoods are unique. They have a different “flatter” hood catch hole (didn’t realize the rest of the substructure was also different and now I know to watch for rust through the scoop holes). The 1967 hood latch is also unique. It does not have the extra safety mechanism (ear on the passenger side) that shoves the safety part of the latch (upper catch) over if the primary catch releases. The secondary safety catch in 1967 relies solely on its spring to shove it into the path of the upcoming hood.

*In 1968 Pontiac changed the catch in the understructure of the hood, it sticks down slightly farther on the drivers side. If you look closely you can figure out that this is required to work with the redesigned (more positive) latch. The new latch has an extra ear sticking out on the passenger side to force the safety catch into place if the primary catch releases. One other thing, the 1968 latch has the same “lever” pull as the 1967. So in summary, in 1968 the catch (which is spot welded into the hood substructure) changed, the hood latch mechanism changed and the pull lever on the hood latch remained the same.

*In 1969 the hood remained the same as 1968, the hood latch also remained the same, and the hood latch pull was changed to a “rod”.

So every year has its differences but all hoods can work for all years and external appearances are the same. However, do not try to cut corners and mix the wrong latch with the wrong hood catch. I know a few horror stories from those who have tried this.

Oh and by the way it took me about 30 minutes with a drill, jig saw, and dremel to make a perfect “factory” hood tach hole. I’m sure the second one would be faster.

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*NOTE: Despite the ‘modification’ to the underside of most factory Ram Air Firebirds in 1967 and 1968, there was not a unique “Ram Air” Hood for these years. The modification was done at the Dealership.

The factory 1967-1968 “Ram Air” Firebirds used the standard “400” Hood and actually were shipped with closed Scoop Inserts installed and open Scoop Inserts in the trunk (for dealer to install along with Hood Baffle, Carb. Shroud and seals). So, a ‘functional Ram Air Hood’ for a 1967-1968 Firebird is no different than a regular “400” Hood (except the Scoops are open). Now, for the pursuist, there was a dealer modification required in order to install the Ram Air Hood Baffle. This involved trimming a portion of the under-structure of the Hood along the RH scoop.

The 1969 Firebird (exc. Trans Am) used a slightly different Hood when Ram Air was ordered. This was due to the new Ram Air design (functional, driver controlled scoops). There was a different Hood Baffle for 1969 which combined with a ‘Flap-System’ that allowed the driver to pull a cable-controlled knob under the dash that opened or closed the scoops. The Trans Am Hood though different than the “400” Hood, also used a similar cable-controlled scoop system.

A: I believe you may be mistaken there, that’s another one of those things about the 1969 TA that some sales literature states came with the car. The TA I owned didn’t have any provision at all for driver control of the intake scoops, nor have any others I’ve seen. We’ve most all seen that picture from the accessories brochure of the pull knob and the Ram Air decal on the mounting plate, but I have only seen that on GTO’s. I cannot answer for the 400 Sport Option cars, as I’ve only seen a couple in all the shows and POCI conventions I’ve attended, and don’t remember whether those cars were equipped.

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I just picked up a 1967 400 hood for $500 — straight, no rust, but has chromed scoop inserts. Question for list: are these an aftermarket item?

A: No. Someone took the scoop inserts and had them chromed. I’ve seen quite a few cars with them painted black as well. This might have been something a dealer may have also done. But they were all originally painted the body color.

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I was wondering if anyone has ordered and installed a reproduction Ram Air hood pan and air cleaner from either Ames or Year One for a 1968 Firebird? How was quality and fit? Thanks.

A: …The reporduction ’67/’68 Firebird Ram Air Hood Baffle was orginally from a Barry Martin (Sonic Motors) project about 8 years ago. At the time, he had hired a retired die-maker to reproduce the Baffle with a Kirksite Die. The Die Maker was surprised when Barry said it must have all original ‘Draw-Marks’ because with today’s technology, the ‘draw-marks’ do not occur as they did 30yrs ago. Anyhow, he duplicted all draw marks and stamped out less than a 100 pieces. I believe the original price was $450 and then was reduced later. I do remember going by to see the first batch of Baffles and comparing them to the original that was used as a template. The large hole was cut out using a Laser Cutter. This produced very clean edges. At the time, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two. One note though is that Kirksite material is softer than most production Tool Steel used for dies. It’s cheaper and will only last for 75 or so hits until the sharp definition starts to diminish. The last thing I remember about this project was seeing the Dies sitting on a flat bed trailer (uncovered) about a year later. Who knows how many total pieces were produced (I saw the first 50). Perhaps Year One or someone else popped out a few more. I do know from speaking with several Die makers, showing them the part, that the work required to produce this die would not have been that involved; as with everything, quantity dictates the total investment.

A: Barry Martin (Sonic Motors) did have Kirksite Dies made several years ago for the 1967-1968 Firebird Ram Air Hood Baffle. I believe he worked with Performance Years and they stamped out approx. 75 pieces and retailed them for $375-$450 ea. As for the Lower Ram Air Shroud, I’ve heard rumors of several dealers reproing this piece but have never seen one. Used, these items have been selling for close to what they went for on the recent auction. $400-$500 for the Carb. Shroud and about the same (or more) for the Hood Baffle. Scoops, wellll….. they’re all the same; Closed/Open.. doesn’t matter since the factory Ram Air Scoops were actually regular closed scoops, milled out and repackaged in a Ram Air Part Numbered GM Box. (So, don’t pay big bucks simply because of the ‘Ram Air’ label unless you’re a collector of NOS GM Boxes). If you are able to find an experienced Die Maker/Stamping facility and have the Hood and Carb Pans reproduced AND be able to sell these pieces for $400 a pair, you will have plenty of customers… no problem. Plus, remember the usage here:

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My body tag for my 1968 Firebird has ‘special-1’ listed where the paint code should be. What does this mean.

A: This code indicated a Custom Factory Paint was used to paint the car. Pink Mist, Carnival Red, Marigold Yellow, and Windward Blue are some examples offered on the 1968 Firebird series. The 1 indicates the car had a ivory vinyl top if a coupe or a ivory-white convertible top.

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Just checked my paint code on my car (68 Firebird HT) And it says I-I —- Autumn Bronze and under the front fenders, Inside the doors, under the trunk lid it is bronze analyzer says custom color from other cars at customer Request I’m lost could use some help….

A: It is considered a “custom color” since it was not offered as a Firebird specific color but came from the Corvette. Autumn Bronze is the only one which I have heard got their own code, “I,” instead of the “SPEC” designation on the body tag.

Some body tags have “SHOW,” “SPEC,” “—,” or “PRIME” on them which indicated a show car, special color, or paint primer only. Have had a few people wanting me to tell them what their original paint was from this information. Interesting the things you could get done to your Firebird in the early years. Most of the “SPEC” paints were the spring release colors (Pink Mist, Carnival Red, Marigold Yellow, and Windward Blue).

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Was ‘I – Autumn Bronze Irid. (A-1996 F)’ available which I found listed on my paint chips as an optional color on Firebird Model only. Most books do not list it as an option. Also, most of the color descriptions end with ‘Irid.’ What was this an abbreviation for in the description?

A: This is true. It is actually a color which GM offered on some of their models starting back in 1966. My father’s first 1967 Firebird had this color on it with a white cordova top and interior. I had my paint shop mix me up a quart of this color and I sprayed an old deck lid to help me decide whether to retain my original color, signet gold, or go with this color. It’s an interesting color because is is a base medium to darker red with gold flake. There is quite a difference in the color of the car from bright sunlight to twilight.

Irid. is sort more iridescent, or in more common terms, paint with metallic flake in it.

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A: Two-tone cars look just like vinyl top cars, minus the vinyl. They paint the roof one color, and the rest of the car the other color. The stainless vinyl top moldings are used for the color break. On the firewall dataplate, both colors are listed. If you’ve ever noticed a single color non-vinyl top car, the paint code is stamped twice, meaning upper and lower color, and vinyl top cars have the vinyl top code at the PNT designation.

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Regarding paint jobs, my 1968 needs one and I’m curious as to what an acceptable price would be for the job without the roof (vinyl) and with no rust or body work needed. I also want to go with the original color (good ol’ Verdoro green). I’m asking because I’ve been told everything from $1000 to $4000. I want a good job (stripped down to base metal) but really don’t want to get ripped either. I even had a neighbor suggest taking it to the local “Tech” school and letting the students do it. I must admit I went to a car show locally last year and saw a 65 Mustang that looked really good and that’s what the owner did. Anyway, just looking for a little input. Thanks in advance. (NOTE: Amounts listed were as of 1999)

A: If all you need is sand and paint then the $1000 – $1500 range should be OK (for a driver). If you can do the disassembly and reassembly yourself, you should get a good job for that amount of money.

I recommend you check with several shops and look at their work. Also ask them who’s paint they use. Stay away from the cheap synthetics, they just don’t hold up. PPG and DuPont are good products. Base coat / clear coat is the way to go.

You may also inquire if you can help with the prep work to further reduce the cost. Be aware, however, that this will slow the process down.

The tech school idea is a good one. I took auto mechanics in high school and we did a lot of work on other people’s cars. If they can fit you into their schedule and you can abide by their’s (remember they will only work a few hours a day) then you can get a good job for less $$$. Remember though, they are learning and spray painting is an acquired skill.

A: Consider this: If a body shop charges $60 per man/hour, and it takes 60 hours to strip, prime, paint and re-assemble your car, that’s $3600 labor. Modern high-quality paints cost (depending on color) anywhere from $200 to $400 dollars for a gallon of color, plus thinners and hardeners. (I was quoted almost $1000 for the materials needed to do base/clear for the GMC Radar Purple.) Add to that a couple hundred for top-quality primers, and another hundred or so for sandpapers, masking tape, etc. This does not even consider the cost of any dent or rust repair that may be concealed with whatever paint is currently on the car! Granted, you may be in an area where you can find a shop that charges $35 an hour, but that’s still $2100 labor!

That said, if you have somebody quoting you $1000 for a complete “paint job”, what are you really getting for your investment?

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For those who may not remember, my 1968 april gold bird was hit in the fall and it is now in the process of getting painted.

I need advice in choosing the proper finish and maintaining its original character (and looking its best).

The last owner painted it in acrilic enamel. I really like the way it looks but the painter says it is a cheap, non durable paint and will be hard to blend if ever needed. The painter suggests base clear, claiming it’s a better quality paint. The only doubt I have is the high gloss finish, will I be swaying too much from the original appearance with base clear, and will it look drastically worse (too much glare) than what I am accustomed to?

Does anyone know how good April Gold looks in base clear, and is there anyone who can convince me to stay with acrylic enamel.

A: I hope you get the answer you want on what the modern finish will look like. I will tell you from the modern paint jobs I’ve seen, the advances in chemistry make it almost essential to invest in the best you can buy. Even “inexpensive” paint will cost a bunch, since most of a quality paint job is in the labor. This is no time to go cheap!

The original paint GM used was, as I understand, RM acrylic lacquer. That’s what I used to use when painting anything of mine. I am told that I would be wasting my time with that today however, because those paints do not have the same chemical makeup they had back in the day.

A: I think you are a little confused in what the painter is talking to you about. I think the painter is talking to you about using a basecoat, clearcoat combination. That combination is available in a wide range of types of paint including Lacquer, acrylic enamel, urethane and other high-tech finishes.

For the record, I would use urethane basecoat / clearcoat. It will cost you $100 to $200 more for the paint (and maybe more for prep) depending on what needs to be done to apply the finish. I’ve been using urethane since 1988 and have had excellent results. It’s extremely durable and will give you a very deep gloss.

As far as originality, there were no acrylic enamels when our cars were built. It was either lacquer or regular (synthol) enamel which are both inferior finishes from a durability standpoint. I wouldn’t worry about originality of the type of paint unless you are going to a concours event. Just use an original color.

A: Sanding and polishing the clearcoat will essentially level out the finish. The end result is that you will have a deeper mirror like shine. It is well worth the effort, but if I was going to spend that much, I most certainly would spend the extra on a urethane paint job. By the way, you can sand and polish the paint yourself. It doesn’t take any special talent other than patience, lots of water and a rubber sanding block along with some ultra fine grit paper (600 to 1000 grit). If you decide to do it yourself, go out and buy a book on painting cars that has pictures in it. That way, you’ll learn the tricks before you make a mistake on your fresh paint job. Heck, it’s worth the $30 to learn about paint jobs anyway. You’ll find that that if you bone up before you talk to your painter, you’ll probably get a better paint job at a better price.

In case you’re wondering, I’ve painted more cars than I care to admit…. and I continue to make my fair share of mistakes. Probably the single biggest problem for a newbie to auto painting is getting the surface prepared properly. In fact, when you look at paint jobs done at the chain body shops, the reason they look “average” is because very little time is put into preparation. A general rule of thumb is that if a cars surface looks imperfect before painting, it will look even worse after painting.

Sorry if I’m preaching to the choir, but as I said, I’ve made and continue to make my share of mistakes and they are very costly in time and money… So, before you spend any money, read a book on auto painting (and make sure it was printed within the last year as the finishes keep changing). Good luck!!

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When painting something with enamel, should I primer it first, I have heard both yes and no. Will priming it prevent future rust?

A: Think of primer as the glue that sticks the paint to the metal. Without it you will find that the paint will chip easily, or even flake off. It is not a rust preventative. Make sure all rust is gone before painting and you should have no problems. Reappearing rust is always from not removing all of it prior to painting. This means sand blasting or chemically stripping, not just grinding it down.

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What type of paint should I use to paint my Firebird? I know I should not use the original type (even if available), but I want it to look original and take advantage of technology gains.

A: I painted my own to but I used acrylic enamel it sprays great and with some color sanding and buffing when I was finished it really SHINES!! So far it has held up great and I have had it on the car for about a year now. Stay away from paint with metallic flakes in it until you really have a good hand on painting {learned this the hard way} and use a good paint like ppg or sherwin Williams and you will be fine.

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Can anyone tell me more about POR-15? Is it black, clear? Can it be painted over?

A: I used POR-15 on the undercarriage, firewall and frame of my car. It is not as simple as they make it sound to use but is worth it. You must thoroughly clean the surface. Do not use any petroleum based solvent (laquor thinner) because the POR 15 wont stick. The surface must be completely oil free but can have solid rust. Use a metal etcher on all bare metal and scuff any remaining paint. You can brush or spray the finish. If you spray tape off everything within 10 feet because over spray will stick forever!! I have heard that it is difficult to get brush marks to flow on highly visible surfaces. You must recoat in about 4 hours or when the finish is dry but tacky. I did find some problems.

You can not remove POR 15 once it is dry

You must recoat when it is ready-not when you are.

It burns when it gets in your eyes.

I had a problem with the gloss consistency when the finish dried. I have heard that is a typic

Hope that this helps

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I’m considering doing the front rails and vaious suspension bits. How did you prep. the parts ?? Sandblast ?? Did you use the POR topcoat or just the rust-preventer ??

A: The POR-15 vendor I deal with strongly suggests sand or bead blasting items in preparation for painting for the smoothest finish, and best adhesion. If you do media blast, then the metal prep is not required. I’ve also wire brushed or sanded a number of parts or surfaces that weren’t practical to blast. For those items, I did use the metal prep to etch the metal, and to further kill/stop any rust.

I have found that if the POR-15 paint is used as a top coat, it will discolor if exposed to UV light. Most parts under the car are not a problem, but parts of my subrame are showing the dulling/discolorization now. This shouldn’t apply to their Chassis Black paint. But I’ve found that this paint must be sprayed on. My experience using a brush was less than great.

As for brush marks, this is a problem. Using a foam brush cuts this down, but the brush has a tendency to fall apart eventually. For parts that I want a very smooth finish, I coat with POR-15 (two coats), then dust with a primer. Once the POR-15 has cured, I then do at least another coat of primer, then spray a top coat of the final cover using an enamel or other paint of choice. This usually covers the imperfections left by the POR-15, and prevents the UV discolorization.

Prior to getting my car painted, I removed the subframe, cleaned and prepped it, and painted (using a brush) it with POR-15. It came out quite nice, and then I bolted it back on and sent the car to the body shop. When it came back, the subframe was covered with sanding debris and overspray from the bodywork process. I had to sand that off and coat again with POR-15 to get it smooth again. The Catch 22 there was that since the new front sheet metal was bolted on the car at the body shop, the only time to prep the subframe was before the body work. I think that I should have pressed the shop to take greater care in protecting the subframe. Now I know better.

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Do cars come black underneath, or painted? All my vehicles are body color underneath, w/ stuff bolted to it. Under the body paint there is black paint followed by bare metal. Why would they take the time to mask it and paint it black, when there’s someone under there w/ body color already in the gun.

A: The body shells were painted before assembly, and the overspray was so heavy you would believe they intended to paint the whole bottom. Maybe some were heavier than others, but all I have seen were still only covered enough to be considered overspray. As you rub on it with steel wool or 400 wet sandpaper, you will see it comes off like overspray even though the color is fairly vivid, leaving the solidly applied black.

A: theres a more logical explanation to all of this. OVERSPRAY. It is red because your car was red. It wont have the same gloss,color or texture as the upper body parts because it was never intended to be painted body color. Overspray will be evident even upwards into the transmission tunnel altho it probably wont reach the middle of it. I have a Meridian turquoise and 2 solar red 68s that have the same overspray patterns on the underside. The meridian turquoise one was Ziebarted (Paraffin based under coating that looks like beeswax) when new, which perfectly preserved the whole under side of the car. There is no evidence of any red primer on any 68s Ive ever had or worked on. Look under the gas tank as this is usually shielded from most of the harsh elements. You will find the same red overspray there.

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A: HPP published an article on the detailing of Jim Mattison’s 400 car some time back. According to the experts, the whole axle assembly, pumpkin tubes and all was left unpainted (don’t know about the backing plates). GM then gave it a quick shot of black paint from the backside, so the front is unpainted and the back is painted black. I plan to paint my assembly with Seymour Stainless Steel paint first and then do the backside in black. That way, it won’t rust and it will look correct.

As for dash paint, I plan to use PPG Ditlzer products. I have the original paint charts, so my guess is any ditzler supplier can mix it. You could use the reconditioning paint, but it probably won’t have the correct gloss level.

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I’m considering having my front subframe dipped to remove the old paint etc. The procedure is one type of acid to remove paint and grease followed by hydrochloric to remove rust (there is only a very small amount).

A: One draw back to acid dipping is that if the clean-up isn’t thorough, traces can bleed through the paint and cause blistering or rusting, as Tom Sexton reports. Items with hidden nooks or pockets where the acid cannot be cleaned off adaquately can hold the acid, to come out later. Also, these hidden areas now have no paint or crud to protect the metal from rust since you cannot get paint into areas you cannot see. On thin sheetmetal parts like hoods, or body shells, this is a particular worry. The phosphate dip will probably not provide enough protection in the long run, especially in humid regions, or if the car is exposed to frequent rain or snow.

On my car, I scraped off the grease, dirt, and flaking paint with a paint scraper and cleaned using a degreaser. Then I used a heavy wire wheel on an angle grinder to get the more stubborn paint and surface rust off my subframe (off the car).

One advantage to this time consuming process was that I could then grind or chisel off the welding slag and other blemishes. It’s amazing how sloppy the factory was. I spent several hours over a number of days preping the subframe.

A: I had mine acid dipped years ago. Mine came out great and has never had a problem with leaching of the acid. I did a couple of things to prevent this. First, I washed the frame with soap and water when I got it back. After a long rinse, I blew it dry with compressed air. Then I sprayed the whole frame with lacquer thinner and again air dried it. I then primed it. no problemo!!!

I applied POR-15 to all accessable areas, even inside the boxed fram area, as far as I could reach. There were areas I knew would not be covered, but then I didn’t grind down to bare metal there either.

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3. The center link, swaybar, tie rods, idler arm, and spindles are natural (unpainted). Some restores use a “non” gloss clear, or use a paint such as Eastwoods Natural Steel for these to avoid rust.

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What color is the lower front baffle or spoiler suppose to be? I thought it was suppose to be the same as the body buy the auto body guy says it is suppose to be black.

A: The Lower Front Baffle was not a spoiler and was not painted Body Color. Should be same color black as the Upper RH/LH Filler Panels. Only the Camaros had the front ‘chin’ spoiler (and deck lid spoiler) option for 1967, 1968, 1969.

A: The correct color is Semi gloss under chassis black. Do yourself a favor and do it in POR-15 as it is almost impervious to rock chips bugs etc. It will fade in direct sunlight so make sure your car stays on all fours. Be sure and strip off all paint (sandblast) and use their metal prep.

A: Black is correct for this, not body color. I have a couple originals and NOS ones and all appear the same.

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What is the correct finish for hood hinges ?? Black paint ?? Or Zinc plated ??

A: Neither. Hood hinges should be Gray Phosphate, a coating that some platers can do for you. In the special “Pontiac Tech” issue from High Performance Pontiac, there is an extensive article by Jim Dietzler, who in consulting Jim Mattison, has listed a number of under hood, and under car details that are aimed right at the concourse restoration standards for a 1st gen. Firebird. Using color photos, Jim gives detailed information about what is correct for each area, and how some restorers failed to get it right.

Plating costs can be made more reasonable by submitting a number of parts at one time. But if even this is too much for your budget, I believe that a company called OEM paints makes some spray can products that come close to matching the color and texture of the phosphate and oxide coatings used by the factories.

A: You don’t have to send parts to a plater. Go to garage sales and buy a hot plate with thermostat, some large Pyrex or stainless steel pans and dishes and plate your own . It does help to have a bead or sandblaster to clean them up first. I had a local plater do all the original hardware from about 5 early birds at once, handpicking all the best parts to do the yellow, silver, gray and black parts. All the black and gray parts started to rust almost immediately after assembly of entire frame-off. Even the plated parts I saved as spares rusted while in the sealed up containers. Only solution was to remove bolts one by one and replate myself. So moral is it may look good for awhile but if not prepped right, it will turn to Sh**.

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I am about to paint the pulleys and power steering pump on my 68. Can some tell me what color to paint them. Were they glossy black or satin black? Are the brackets the same gloss as the pump and pulleys? How about the Harmonic Dampner? Was it blue or black?

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How do you paint plastic pieces? Do I have to strip it first then prime then spray with semi gloss black? What name products should I use? I figure on using spray cans but if that is a bad idea I probably could get a friend to spray it. I need a detailed list of supplies I need and good directions to use.

A: Painting plastic parts takes a different approach than other stuff. There are special primers,and paints for each type of plastic. First remove all wax and or armoral all with strong degreaser/cleaner. Then wipe down with cheap lacquer thinner a couple of times. This will soften the plastic and make the paint “bite” into the plastic. You can then use the appropriate plastic paint. Spray cans are available from SEM, Mar Hyde, FabriColor, etc. made for hard plastic not just vinyl. This will work much better than ordinary paint and wont flake or peel off.

A: Don’t forget to make sure you use a LINT FREE cloth for wipping. The softened plastic will want to grab the lint off the cloth, making a real mess.

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Does anyone have any advice for stripping paint off of plastic parts? I attempted to repaint my dash and let’s just say the first attempt didn’t go so well. Can I use off the shelf paint stripper?

A: Paint stripper is probably too strong. I have used brake fluid on plastic parts in the past. If you can soak it in it, its quick. Other wise, it takes a while.

A: My brother, a serious plastic model airplane hobbyist, gave me this tip for taking paint off plastic. He said to use Westley’s Bleche-White whitewall/blackwall tire cleaner. You can get this stuff at almost any auto parts store.

Here’s my testimony: My painter got overspray on my turn signal lenses and on the rubber moldings along the rails for my convertible top. Naturally I was sick when I saw the paint on the turn signal lenses (have you priced 1968 lenses lately?). Anyway….I soaked the parts in the Bleche-White for 24 hours. ALL the paint came off, even the silver paint which is applied by the factory on the lenses. I used an old tooth brush to get the paint out of the various nooks and crannies of the part. The paint came off the rubber pieces just as well. The Bleche-White had absolutely no ill effects on the plastic or rubber parts. I wore rubber gloves when handling the parts in the solution as it is caustic to skin.

Oh yeah, I masked off my turn signal lenses and painted them with the same silver that’s used on Rally II wheels. They look brand spanking new!

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A: Parts that can be done are black oxide, black phosphate, gray phosphate, tin plating,to some degree white(silver) cad. Contact Carolina Chemco at 864.246.3836 for more info and to order stuff. Also Eastwood carries some stuff alto rather high in price.

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How do I repair and repaint rock chips and other small defects in the paint?

A: Buy small factory pack of laquer paint. (this is assuming that your car hasn’t been repainted with cheap enamel). Degrease with preperation solvent. Sand a very small area about the size of a pencil eraser including inside of nick with 600 grit. Stir can of UNTHINNED paint very well. Metallics such as this need the extra stirring.

Using a very small paint brush (local hobby store kind) fill the nick with a dab of paint. Dont try and fill all at once and dont brush the paint in the hole, wait a few hours and repeat until the chip or nick is completely filled and actually higher than surrounding area. Wait at least 2 days before sanding.

Use 1000-2000 grit 3M wet or dry sandpaper and just knock off the top of extra paint trying to even it out with surrounding area.Dont sand anymore than necessary as the surrounding paint may be thin. Metallics have a habit of settling to the bottom of each coat of paint so be careful.

Next rub with a small amount of good hand rubbing compound.(not the Turtle wax kind but something from auto paint store) rub the sanding marks out and a little in the surrounding areas. Do a good job and only an expert can tell is been done.

Old timers call this matchsticking as they used matches instead of small paint brushes to do this. Just remember to use UNTHINNED laquer.

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Are the front fenders from camaro are interchangeable with firebird?? any other major componentes??? what work needs to be done to adapt a hardtop quarter panel to a convertable..

A: Front fenders for 67/68 Firebirds/Camaros are interchangeable but the turn signal cut-outs are different. You’ll need to do some mild welding to make your turn signals work.

Quarters are not interchangeable due mostly to the chevrons on the Firebird quarters. Fenders for 69s are not interchangeable.

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I have come to the conclusion that I am going to have to replace the Right Rear Quarter Panel on my 1968 Convertible. Now the search begins for a suitable replacement. Any information in locating a RR Quarter for a 1968 Convertible would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone tried using a Camaro Quarter?

*Still readily available despite being discontinued several years ago thanks to secondary ‘dealers’ who stashed them for investments*

Finding a used original Conv. Quarter Panel will not be an easy task. However, finding a used Coupe Quarter Panel (relatively rust free) shouldn’t be that difficult Best bet is check with the South West Wrecking Yards (Stan’s Boneyard). Obviously, no matter what you do, there will be ‘fitting’ and finishing required. The NOS Camaro Quarter Panel will physically fit however, you’ll have to graft in the Louvered area and cut out the Marker Light hole. What you choose to do for replacing the Quarter Panel depends on how picky you are and what degree of correctness you’re seeking. If you want a factory look, seamless patch job, you may want to consider using a rust free (used) original 1968 Firebird Coupe Quarter Panel, cutting off the Sail Panel and having it butt-welded on to your car. If you simply want your car to look nice from the outside and could careless about ‘seams’ inside the trunk, use the patch panels.

A: I owned a 1968 400 convertible that I installed camaro coupe quarters back in 1983. It was a lot of work, requiring additional seams in several places. Not only do you have to cut off the sail panel and add in the stamped section for the chevrons, the quarter window reveal area is different from coupe to convertible. That is the area the outer window weatherstrip attached to, and it was different in height, width, angle, and length. That dictated a seam be added somewhere below it. I chose to add a seam about 1-1/2″ to 2″ below, in the concave area just above the corner/edge of the rear fender. It was a bear to get the shape right and make it work, and when I sold the car a couple years later, there was some cracking starting to show, as this area of the body flexes more than I anticipated.

If there’s ANY way to find a convertible quarter, even a camaro (requiring a patch for the chevrons), that will make for a FAR better job in the long run, in my humble opinion.

Does anyone know the correct part numbers for the 1968 bird rear mount antenna mast and the mount itself?? How about for the front mount antenna??

A:
MAST
Front and Rear 67-68 F 3934224

BEZEL
Frt Fender 67-68 F 3897333

BEZEL
Rr Qtr. 67-68 F 3903424

BODY
Frt and Rear 67-68 F 3880695

NUT- MOUNTING
Frt and Rr 67-68 F 3863499

RING- GROUND
Frt 67-68 F 3863239

RING- GROUND
Rear 67-68 F 3903406

LEAD IN
Frt 67-68 F 3897334

LEAD IN
Rear 67-68 F 3897311

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Have heard a few things about partial rear 1/4s vs full gm 1/4s (camaro only?). I haven’t heard very good things about partial 1/4s-alignment plus problems with Firebird louvers behind doors.

A: The aftermarket rear quarters will work with a fair amount of body work. I understand that convertibles represent more of a challange to get them to work. In somecases, rust free used quarters from the Southwest are a good alternative.

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I just bought some brand new metal panels for my car. Do I need to do anything to prepare the pans for priming? What type of primer and paint should I use? What do I do about the paint that burns/peels off when I weld?

A: Clean the bare metal with lacquer thinner (the type you would use to clean a paint gun). This will remove all of the machine oil coating. Then, use a self etching primer. If you want to install them before painting you can. It’s just been easier for me to hit them with paint and then later retouch them as needed.

I usually do all my cutting and trimming before priming, then tape off the area I plan to weld and prime and paint. After installation, clean the area with a light sand paper, then thinner, self etching primer (I like the aerosol cans), and paint. If your painting the whole car, It may be easier to wait on the paint.

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With fenders off the front end will sag, as fenders are a major part of front end structural support. Support the subframe and body so that there is no sag in the subframe and firewall before bolting the fenders back on. Also make sure the frame is aligned with the body via a 5/8 in rod thru the alignment hole in the front frame to body mount.

The fender fits best at top if it is stretched a little more than the shape it has when off the vehicle. Get your gap right at the top and put spacers in the bottom to spread until the center crease lines up with door. Be sure and do this with no load on the subframe and body.

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Can anyone give me a qick summary or secrets (hidden bolts) to removing entire front clip from my ’67. I have removed the bumper and radiator thus far. I would like to keep front end in as few pieces as possible for ease of re- assembly.

A: I would advise against one piece front clip removal mainly for alignment reasons… and the potential for bending, scratching, or otherwise strangely stressing your fenders and core support (not to mention it is really akward). However, I believe it would be possible to do (you know how you always see’em in swapmeets and junkyards and all… but those parts are not always in the best of shape either.

All that holds the ‘front clip’ on is the two bolts from the core support to the front of the subframe, one bolt on each side under the fender (down underneath going upward), and the two bolts on each side by the hood hinges to the cowl section (one on top going down and one pointed back into the ‘firewall’). There will be shims around all of these bolts that were used for alignment. Remember where they go. With LOTS of practice you can learn to fix bad alignments as few GM cars are put together perfect. But, once it is done right it makes all the difference!

Although I don’t know why you want to do this removal, if your clip has not been apart before it might not be a bad idea to take it appart piece by piece so that you can clean, remove and treat rust that is hidden and protect (paint) things that are not usually accessable.

A: Sorry about the last note. When you sais “bumper” and “radiator”, the “front clip” part didn’t register.

As far as the front clip, he had some good points. The main thing to need to remember if you want to remove the front clip is to properly document what bolt and shims go where. Buy a box of re-sealable bags and as you remove them, mar them like “passenger side – top of fender at back of hood”. put the bolt and shims in the bag and place it where you can find it later. Do this with each bolt you remove. When the car goes back together, all the proper alignment pieces will be there.

As far as hidden bolts, inside the fender wells you’ll find three that attach it to a bracket on the inside. I usually try to remove this bracket entirely to get it out of the way. Once you’ve done this and the other obvious bolts, remove the front tires to get them out of the way, too.

Get a buddy and CAREFULLY start to remove the clip. Try not to twist it because the only thing holding it together will be the radiator support.

When you go to reassemble the car, start with the doors and get them even and straight. then align the fenders to the doors. I hope this helps.

A: I just removed mine from my 69. I don’t know hoe different it is but from what I’ve seen it very similar.

Remove the air dam

Remove the A/C baffles (If applicible)

Un-plug the headlights

Remove the bolts that attach the support bracket to the front of the fenders.

Look between the radiator support and the bumper support. The bumper support bolts to the frame horns (the pieces that curve up from the frame) in three locations and possible to a couple of places on the valance panel. Remove these bolts and the bumper assembly will come off.

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I have a question regarding my car’s backup lights… I have a coulumn shift automatic, and I am unsure which switch is connected to the backup lights. All I know is that they do not work. My neutral safety switch does work though. If anyone has a diagram, or some pictures of where this switch is, please send them to me. Thanks

A: They are both in the same switch housing, the purple wires are the neutral safety, the thinner wires (I forget the colors) are the back-up connection. Check power in and out, wiggle the shifter while you do that. Jump the connector to see if the BU lights actually work!

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I am about ready to replace the floor pans in my Firebird. Anything special I need to do or suggestions for completing this task.

A: I’m no expert, but I did replace the floor pans on my 1968 firebird. Some of the things I learned are:

Do one side at a time to keep the body straight. If you have a convertible, weld in some temporary supports from the dash to the rear seat. (Angle iron or square tubing)

Cut around the forward body mount brace and use that to locate that corner of the floor.

Cut around the extra bracing for the leaf spring front mount, and use that to locate the back of the floor.

The seat support has about a million spot welds, and you have to take that off to get to some of the spot welds for the body mount which is under it.

Measure the distance from the old floor to the top of the door sill or to the bottom of the rocker panel before cutting out the floor and use that dimension to locate the outboard side of the new one.

There are a couple of factory holes in the transmission hump which can be used as reference points to locate that edge. I left 3-4″ overlap so I could move the floor pan around, and to maintain the strength of the transmission hump without the old floor.

Set the new floor on top of the old one and mark the edge with a soapstone, then cut 3-4″ below the line, going around the aforementioned items.

It is easy for the floor to twist and get away from being level, so check that often while welding.

Plus the basics: tack weld in various areas, and move around a lot, so as not to warp the floor. Seal the seams when you are done with seam sealer, available from various suppliers.

Again, I am no expert, and you may get better advice on this board to be 100% factory correct.

A: I’m not an expert but I’ve done a couple of 1969 floor pans… One coupe and one convertible. First thing you need to no is that the convertible will be much more difficult than the coupe. When I did mine, I left the belly brace ( the brace that is underneath the car) in place. You may also want to support the car in to keep it from buckling in the middle. A brace at the top of the door between the door jam on each side is best. Do one side at a time to keep as much support a possible. After this I used these procedures:

TAKE NOTE OF THE LOCATION OF THE GAS AND BRAKE LINES IF THIS ISN’T A FRAME OFF RESTORATION.

prime and paint new pan.

removed the seat pedestal.

removed the rear seat floor brace (the angle piece connecting the tunnel to the rear jam).

remove bottom of old floor pan and clean up belly brace (take note of the different support pieces that are welded to the original pan. remove as much old metal as the pan will cover but leave these supports in place).

set new pan in place and scribe a line around the top of the pan onto the old sheet metal (make sure it sits tight on belly brace, use screws if necessary).

while pan is in place, mark seat belt location, rear sub-frame attachment point and the different brace locations from underneath the car.

once your satisfied w/ fit, trim to 1/2″ of scribe line

cut holes for seat belt and frame attach point.

I drill holes in the pan to allow me to spot weld through the pan to the different brackets located on the bottom of the car.

install pan and weld (tack weld all the way around about 4″ apart then tack in between first welds until welds are 1 to 2 inches apart then weld solid).

re-install rear brace.

reinstall seat pedestal.

repeat for other side.

Be sure to caulk area between the new pan and the inner rocker panel.

TAKE YOUR TIME.

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I have an annoying problem: I changed my master cylinder due to a leak. The operation was a complete success, with no extra parts left over! When I drive the car, and then stop, my brake lights are on. I’ll tap them, they go out and stay out. What’s up?

A: Two possibilities. There is a return spring on the peddal and if it came off for some reason while you were replacing the master cylinder (or maybe it wasn’t on from before) then you are relying on the internal springs of the master cylinder to push your pedal all the way back and not quite making it.

The other possiblility is that you just have to adjust the switch a little bit forward. It’s on the peddal assembly under the dash.

A: It’s probably the plunger switch down under your dash.

A: Have you checked your brake light switch on the pedal assembly? There is a switch under the dash that turns the lights on until the brake pedal come up high enough to contact the switch and interrupt the circuit. You will either need to adjust the switch down a bit to insure contact with the brake pedal, or you may need to move the brake pushrod to a higher hole on the brake pedal if the pedal isn’t coming up far enough to touch the switch.

My guess is that since you can get the brake lights to go off by taping the pedal, it will require only a small adjustment of the switch to make things right.

A: Are you talking about the brake lights on the back of the car or the brake warning light on the dash? Others have addressed the brake lights on the back so I won’t go there. If it’s the brake warning light then the problem is in you splitter valve below the master cylinder. Most likely, it air in the line causing it to go out of balance. If this is the case, you must bleed the brakes again to remove all air from the lines.

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I have just found that I need to replace the passenger side front floor in my 68 and wondered if anyone had any experience with this procedure. It looks as though I must remove the seat attachment structure then go at the floor after that is removed. My question is what type of tool is best suited to break the spot welds and other weldments? Cold chisel? Small explosive charge? Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated…Oh, also I have a weld pak 100 flux core welder would that work for the welding?

A: I know there will be others responding to this question…. and I believe there is more than one way to perform this task. First off, if it is a convert, then you have more chances of twisting things out of place. I’m about 75% done with doing total floor pan reconstruction on both sides on my convert. I have taken an excessive and some would say obsessive amount of time in doing mine, but then I’m trying to make mine look close to factory both inside and out. My only advice to you is to support the vehicle carefully and with equal pressure on both sides. Consider welding in temporary braces if you have any doubts. I did not, but mine is just a shell and I have very carefully supported the shell in critical points. That may not be proper for your situation.

Go slowly, AND PLEASE… CAREFULLY, mark the alignment of the seat support and frame brace before you remove them. Measuring afterwards is very difficult. Cut carefully and plan on it taking longer than you thought. As far as cutting goes, use a good spot weld cutter on the seat support brace and frame brace (underneath the seat support brace). Use an air chisel on parts of the old floor pan that you want to rip to shreds and be careful not to damage anything else with the air chisel. Once the floor is out, clean everything up carefully and get all of the rust off of the braces and rockers before repainting and re-welding. ONE BIG CONSIDERATION…..

Examine the front floor board supports carefully. Mine were really bad due to rust. I had to remove them, reconstruct them with heavy gauge steel and reweld them in. It was really time consuming, but I won’t have to worry about doing it again.

A: You’ve already received a lot of good advice so I won’t put you through a lot of details, just some details.

If your planning on removing the seat pedestal, keep in mind the damage your going to do the existing floor pan. The spot welds run across the front, sides and back and as mentioned, there are also a couple you can only get to from the bottom unless you disassemble the pedestal (which I don’t recommend). Even if you only need – of the floor pan, consider buying the whole unit. This will give you enough metal to repair any damage cause by the seat pedestal removal.

When you purchase your replacement pan, be aware that most replacement pans have the lip on the rocker panel side folded “up” te make welding easier. If you are doing a partial pan and you have to repair the rocker area, you’ll want a pan that folds “down” to match the original. I’ve only seen these sold by a company called C.A.R.S. Inc. (714-525-1956 California or 248-398-7100 Michigan: www.carsinc.com)

I just finished replacing my third set of floors. The easiest way I’ve found to remove them is to drill the spot welds along of the top rocker panel then just cut the pan across the front, back, and tunnel. This will allow you to easily remove the pedestal from the car. Then just separate the old floor pan rom the pedestal. The replacement pan is designed to cover the area above the pedestal so repair is easy. The replacement bent to match the original bends so really, the pedestal can only go back to it’s original location. Plus, the spot welds on the rocker side will act as and additional locator point.

Mock fit the panel in it’s final location and set the pedestal in place BEFORE welding. Use self taping sheet metal screws to hold it secure while fitting but pre-drill the outer layer (usually the replacement panel) first.

Q2: I found your advise about removing the pedestal with the pan to be sound. Although I have not removed the floor yet I am planning on doing it as you described. If I might pose a few questions: along the front, back, tunnel side, and rocker to what elevation or point do I cut? Along the front I see the over lap, do I cut such that the overlap is removed? Rocker side: I have the turned down replacement pan I purchased at Classic Ind., seems to be perfect match, Do I drill out the spot welds along the flange underneath the car where the two meet? Looks like that might be the spot. Finally, along the back of the pedestal how far behind it can I cut? Directly at the termination of the pedestal rear sheet metal?

I really appreciate this site and all who contribute! I could reinvent the wheel or I could just ask you all to help. And you do very much thanks again

A: The cut along the front depends on two things, the length of your replacement pan and the amount of cancer. If you have a full length pan that extends up the kick board then you can remove all the metal up to the top of the pan.

As far as the seam, a full length pan will cover this area. The full pan only mimics what was originally two pieces. The thing to look for in this area is the lower firewall extends under the toe kick. I usually cut around this piece and lay the new pan over the top of it. This way you can’t get the pan too low. You may have to trib. your pan on the rocker side or open the pinch weld at this point because the pan is originally sandwiched between the lower firewall and the rocker.

I would not try to remove the spot welds along the bottom of the rocker. Instead, I would use a air chisel on the bottom side along the 90 degree bend. I usually start at the front and rip the old floor front to back. When the old floor is removed, hammer the edge of the old floor flat against the edge of the inner rocker. When you go to install the new pan, pre-drill the lip of the pan to mimic the spot welds along the bottom edge where it will attach to the inner rocker panel and weld.

As far as how far to cut behind the seat pedestal, again it depends on how much new metal you’ve purchased. If it is just a partial pan, find a couple of common points to measure. If your new pan has a pre-drilled hole where the rear sub-frame bolts enters, use this point and compare it to the original. If this hole is not there, look at the tunnel side and note the slight bend. This should also be evident on the new pan and is also a good reference point.

As far as the elevation of your cuts, once you remove your seat pedestal, lay the new pan in place and trace a line around the whole thing then, DON’T CUT ABOVE THIS LINE.

Hope all this helps. Let us know if you have more questions,

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I am having a lot of problems with my tail lights. All the problems started after one of my bulbs burnt out and I tried to replace them. Any ideas?

A: I guess I better go back to lightbulb school, or get glasses. I did not realize that the wrong bulb in the wrong socket would make the light do so many weird things. But as always, thanks to your suggestions, I solved it half way through ripping th dash apart.

A: Let me guess, you found an 1156 single where an 1157 double filament should have been?

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A: When it comes to floor pans, there are a couple different types. Most pans are designed to be dropped in and welded from the top. The rocker panel side is turned up. These are the simplest to install. All you do is use a air chisel to cut along the edge of the pan, flatten out what’s left and drop in the new pan. You can make a scribed line all the way around the pan then pull it back out and trim to 1/2″ to 3/8″ to the edge, less if your brave. Then simply just use sheet metal screw to hold everything in place and weld it up. I weld them as solid as possible and then use 3M seam sealer.

The other type has the rocker panel edge rolled down like the original. These aren’t really any harder to install (except for maybe on a convertible) but do require some welding from underneath. The removal of the old pan is the essentially the same. The biggest difference is spot welding the replacement along the original pinch weld seam. From the bottom, they look more like the originals. That is IF care is taken to hide the other seams. I try to help this out by making the repair seam that runs along the tunnel as high as possible. Don’t forget to leave holes for the seat belts.

Removal of the seat pedestal is the same for both replacement pans. I prefer to cut the whole pedestal out then try to remove as much of the old pan as possible. I suppose they could just be trimmed and cleaned and welded in place with the old pan on the bottom but be sure the original pan imprint is a very close match. Otherwise your seat may not sit level or square. Be sure to locate the hole for the subframe bolt.

As far a repair projects go, this is probably a easy as they come. even if you don’t do it perfectly, almost no one will ever really see it. If done with care, it’s even hard to tell when the car is up on a lift. You may want to search the archives. I’ve been through this process before and I believe Geoff posted some of the instructions.

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I got me floor pans for the conv.. Here we go … Get ready for the questions. Going to pull the seats and carpet out this weekend to take a peek.

Does that Scott Jason camaro restoration book have any good info on this subject?

I have a Fisher Body book for 1968 I find it screchty on the Fbody data covers all body styles is there a manual in print just on the F body,

Anyone ever done this with out taking the subframe out of the car?

Seat perches have to come out?

How about that cross member on the tunnel for convertibles. I ain’t seen a car yet with that installed. Does it bolt to the floor pans? No threaded wholes in the new pans.

Body bushings bolt to the floor pans … right. No holes. Logic tells me that fabricaing and welding the pan in takes some BFH and that you measure and align after all is welded in place. How? Measurements?

The pans are one piece left and right from Classic Idustries. I beleive the sticker says the company that made them are American Design. Anyone had any expreince with these? Should I stop right now and send them back? Fit like _hit. Knowledge is everything. I am not a body man. I plan on doing everything but cutting them out and putting them in. I will find a body guy to do this. I need to arm my self so I can ask the right questions and tell if the job is going to be done right. This is not a concours restoration I’m looking to get it done quickly and cheaply.

A: Just a couple of things that may help…

Floor pans can be replaces without removing the sub-frame. I’ve done it on both a convertible and coupe without any problems. I also highly recommend additional bracing for the convertible. Also, take measurements of the door gap BEFORE you rip out anything. Check these measurements BEFORE you weld anything.

Coupes are pretty easy and straight forward. Refer to the FAQ for a previous write-up.

Convertibles are a little more difficult because of the belly brace but once you remove the seat pedestal and the old pan, it will help you align the new pan. Remember the additional brace that is just in front of the rear seat hooks.

On both installations, I used the “turned up” style of replacement. This makes welding easy as it’s all done from the top. I used tube style body caulk to fill the cap at the bottom. Once painted it looks OK. While my car was up on the rack getting a new exhaust, I received a lot of good comments on the pans from a guy who runs a local restoration shop.

There are pans available that turn down to mimic to old pans. I found some from a vendor at a swap meet. I don’t have his card but I think a company called C.A.R.S. (www.carsinc.com) carries them. These will allow you to make the pinch-weld below the rocker panel like the factory.

I pre-drilled all my welding hole and the rear frame rail mounting hole before I welded the pan. First I trim and install the pan with sheet metal screws until I’m satisfied with the fit. I temporally re-mount the seat pedestal also using sheet-metal screws. Once satisfied, I use a pencil to trace around the bottom brace and through the seat pedestal. This gives you an idea where to drill the spot-weld holes and where to drill the hole for the body to frame-rail bolt.

After I’ve drilled all my holes, I remount the pan, seat pedestal, and frame-rail bushing and bolt, check my measurements and weld. If your door opening seems to have sagged a bit, try to position some jack stands under the rocker panel closer to the front of the car to allow more weight on the rear. Do this slowly with a floor jack under the rear-end.

A: 4. Seat perches have to come out?

If I recall correctly,which I do,them there “perches” are spot welded in,and as such can be hacked out. Thats what I did,I never even considered going the route of removing the sub frame, though if you do,that would be a good time to get some new body bushings.

A: I have just finished putting floors in a 1968 Convertible. You can’t see all the areas that may be rusted from the inside. Get and Ice pick or something sharp to poke with.

3. since the subframe bolts to the seat perches I don’t see a way to get them out with out removing the subframe.
4. If you are going to replace the whole pan and I would suggest that, then yes they will have to come out. There is also a reinforcement plate at the rear of the floor that will have to come out too. Under this is one place I found a lot of rust that I couldn’t see before I removed it. There was also a lot under the seat perches. The Hooks for the rear seat will also pose a problem. I cut the old floor and new floor around them and left them attached. My floors were fine in that area.
5. The Convertible Plate bolts to the frame not the floor pan.
6. I cut the holes in the pans for the subframe after I had the seat perches welded in. I drilled and small hole from the inside through the mounting nuts fastened to the seat perches to mark the center of the holes and then used a cut off toll to make them large enough.

One other area that was a problem was that the new floor turns up or in on the out side of the floors and the originals turned down or out. I did different things with each side of mine and wasn’t happy with either so I will leave that up to you.

A: 1. Nope, Jason Scott says nothing, however the list archives contain very good explanations of what to do.

4. Definitely remove seat perches and rear reinforement plate, these covered a lot of hidden rust on my car. These can generally be repaired and reused.

5. The conv. reinforement plate bolts to the belly-brace, not the floor. It is much easier if you can remove the floor and leave all underfloor bracing in place. This assumes that your floor is rusting from the inside out and the underfloor bracing is good.

I used the Classic pans and even though I haven’t welded yet, trial fit is fine. Seems that SFH will suffice.

Again read the archives for the old posts.

A: On the Passenger side I cut the old pan at the edge of the Rocker. This tended to leave a gap where the new floor meets the Rocker from the bottom. It has the potential to get and hold water. I plan to seal it with seam sealer. On the drivers side I cut the old floor about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch from the rocker and set the new floor on it and welded it to it. This creates a better seam from the bottom but creates a possible problem in areas where it was hard or impossible to weld. The cross member and the support on the bottom Front of the floor.

Another thing I did was to do one floor pan at a time. This was a suggestion I read earlier on this list. This was because the floor is such a big part of the support for the car.

I have mine turned on its side to make it easier to work on.

A: I’ll answer what I can:

3. My subframe was out
4. Take out the seat perches
5. Convertible reinforcement plate bolts to the extra bracing that only the convertible has (under the floor boards)
6. I measured and then drilled the holes after installation. The subframe “nut” is loose and can move around a little. The hole has clearance so the bolt and nut can be move for alignment.

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I have heard there are hidden VINs scattered throughout my car. I want to use this knowledge to help me authenticate a purchase. Anyone have any ideas where these might be located.

A: …The only hidden VIN that most are aware of is the Cowl VIN stamped below the Cowl Cover. Obviously, non-factory weld seams will be easy to spot. Many like to claim that they know of other ‘Super Secret’ VIN locations simply to leave novices wondering (& worrying ?). Other ‘suspected’ places…. somewhere on the Sub-Frame, Along the Trunk ‘Gutter’, On the floor pan.

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I realized today that the doors off the coupe, now on the convertible, use “bullet” mirrors (bullet shaped casing with rectangular mirror inside). Was this offered in 1968?

A: There were no ‘Bullet Mirrors’ used on any 1968 Pontiac. You had a choice of Manual or Remote Adjustable Chrome Plated Mirrors. Early ’68’s used Round Style Mirrors. Sometime in December, the factory started using a Rectangular Shaped Chrome Mirror (for Manual and Remote). As for their being no Control Knob for the Mirror in Todd’s car, that’s the first clue that these are not factory mirrors. It was not uncommon for people to swap mirrors; add something with a little more style; more modern. The only 1st Gen. Firebird that used ‘Bullet Style’ Mirrors was the 1969 Firebird and those were only very late in production models (since the 1969 body style ran longer than normal, some of the ’70 style features began to show up in production.)

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For the First Generation Firebird, I have seen several types of antennas (power/manual) located both the front and rear. What is correct?

A: The RH Front Fender Manual Antenna was standard with the radio option on all
67-69 Firebirds.

For 67/68 Firebird only, there was an optional Rear Manual Antenna that was
located on the RH Rear Quarter Panel.

Late in ’69, the Power Antenna Optional became available for the Firebird.
This was located on the RH Rear Quarter Panel.

The Manual Rear Antenna was not available for the ’69 Firebird
(at least not in any documentation I have)

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It would be very interesting to hear your experience regarding road noise, squeaks and stiffness.

A: My horrendous experience with polyurethane dictates that I never try THAT again! The car was almost as stiff as a hard-tailed motorcycle, and squeaked like crazy. I also drove that 66 GTO that MuscleCar Review did a restification on using polyurethane, same problem there. To convince me that the graphite loaded product works is going to be a VERY hard sell!

The original rubber works best for all-around comfort; I didn’t mind giving up a little for the steel/nylon bushings to get a noticable handling gain. Good luck.

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Does anyone have a procedure for changing the body bushings? I’ve never attempted this and I want to try. There has got to be a painless way, and I’m sure you guys have tried everything. May main questions are, how do I lift the body away from the frame without screwing something up. What needs to be disconnected (Andy mentioned disconnecting the steering coupler). Do I need any special tools.

A: A way to change the radiator support bushings without disassembling the car. You can do the other 4 bushings while you’re at it.

The first step is to disconnect the steering coupler. This will make it much easier to replace the bushing closest to the steering box. The passenger side radiator support bushing will be much easier to replace if you pull the battery tray, which I didn’t do, but will next time.

Next, remove the radiator support bushing bolts, and the bumper support bracket bolts that connect the brackets to the subframe (2 bolts each side).

Next, chock the back wheels and jack up the front of the car, using a floor jack on the cross-member. Raise the car far enough to place jackstands at the very front end of the rocker panels. I used stands on which the piece that contacts the car is cast. Its footprint roughly matches the rectangular flat area on the rocker panel.

Loosen the four remaining subframe bushing bolts, but do not remove. Slowly lower the jack just far enough for the radiator support bushings to clear the radiator support. You may have to reposition the jackstands once or twice if the jack begins to move as a result of lowering the subframe. Be sure to get all the hardware out (there are various washers and such in there).

Install the new bushings and slowly jack up the subframe. You may have to coax the lip of the new bushings through the subframe holes. I used a small flathead screwdriver. Install the bolts, but do not tighten.

With the jack still supporting the weight of the subframe, replace the remaining bushings one at a time. This is fairly easy, especially with the steering coupler disconnected. Snug all 6 bolts, lower the car, and torque all of the bolts. This is the step where Hugo’s lift would come in handy, as you want to torque everything with the car on the ground.

That’s all there was to it. If your bushings are the originals, you should be extremely happy with the handling improvement. I sure was. Let us know how it goes. If anyone sees a step I forgot, please speak up.

A: I knew as soon as I clicked send I’d think of something. Rather than chocking the back wheels, you should raise the back end. This will result in the car being level once you get the front ends of the rocker panels up on jackstands. I used ramps on the back, but you could use a second pair of jackstands.

A: Well, I now know that it is possible to replace the radiator support bushings in an assembled Firebird. I ended up using Roy Lumsden’s idea of supporting the body at the front ends of the rocker panels and lowering the subframe on a floor jack. It worked like a champ! Thanks, Roy, for the idea.

While I was at it I replaced the body/subframe bushings as well. I had trouble getting enough clearance to remove the upper half of the bushing that mounts below the driver’s floor pan. I finally realized that I was fighting the steering column/steering box connection. When I was done I had to loosen and then tighten the bolts holding the steering column plate to the firewall in order to fix binding in the column (the new, thicker, bushing lowered the box relative to the body).

With all new bushings it is like a completely different car. I’d already rebuilt the whole front and rear suspensions, and replaced the shocks, which made for a much better ride, but the most dramatic improvements in handling were made by replacing these bushings and recently replacing the broken motor mounts. All the squeaks and rattles are gone and handling is great. Now I may not bother going to 15 inch rims. I just wish I could have done all the refurbishing together to get the full effect all at once!

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Anybody know what was used for a side view mirror on the passenger side of a 1968 Firebird with a remote control mirror on the driver side? My mirror is rectangular with rounded corners and I have seen non-remote versions in parts catalogs.

A: According to the Firebird Red Book by Peter Sessler, the remote mirror was only offered as an option (LH remote control OSRV mirror – 424) on the left hand side. I would assume the passenger side had a matching rectangular shape if it was equiped with the optional passenger mirror. The 1968 had both the circular and rectangular offered. My 1968 has the LH circular mirror with no passenger mirror.

A: Unfortunately, Pontiac did not offer a RH S.V. Mirror ‘dummy’ to match the LH Remote version (round or rectangular) as they did in previous years. I have a ’64 GTO that has the Factory LH S.V. Remote Mirror (round) and I found a ‘matching’ RH mirror several years ago in a junk-yard. Basically, the same mirror, but w/o the cable, etc…. looks balanced.

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I have a question regarding the radio antenna of my 68 bird. The current antenna is the telescoping (manual) oval type with my radio AM/FM. I am looking to replace or have mine rechromed. I read in the year one catalog that the telescoping manual ant. only came with the AM only radio, and the AM/FM radio came with the whip antenna.

A: …I don’t believe that the factory used any ‘whip’ antenna on the ’68 Firebird (or other 60’s models for that matter). They were all telescoping until the 70’s. The biggest variations is in the Ball of Tip design. Some with one groove, some with two. Some with none. Some with round tips, some with oval. I would think you’re better off finding an NOS one since rechroming would be difficult and costly.

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I need to install a driver’s side mirror. Does anyone have a template for this procedure?

A: Try the following templates. They are going to be very large files but will work as a good template. Make sure to use the correct template:

1968 Early Production Mirror: Round Mirror – Remote and Standard:

1968 Late Production Mirror: Rectangular Mirror – Remote and Standard:

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I would like to know what the angle of the antenna mast was to the deck on the rear-mounts for a ’67/68.

A: Straight out of my ’67 Firebird Service Manual suppliment:

…. antenna should lean inboard approximately 4 deg. when viewed from front or
rear and should stand vertically when viewed from the side”. This is stated
for both front and rear fender mounts. I would think that the ’68 would be
the same; anyone have anything different?

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My 1968 f-bird convertible has deteriorated rubber body mounts. How hard of a job will it be to replace these? Are the bolts usually rusted to a point where they break off when you try to unscrew them? If any one has experience doing this please offer some advice if I am getting into a MAJOR headache.

A: I would definitely take a look to see if the perches that the mounts sit on are ruted away, or have sustained any cracks away from the frame itself. I did a frame off restoration on my 1968 bird and found every perch both rusted to the thickness of paper, and also multiple cracks rendering it unsafe unless rewelded and reinforced.

A: I did this on a 65 GTO convertible and had no problems, but this was on a rust free California car. If your car has extensive rust it may be harder. If you can get to it, soak the threads with WD-40 for a couple of days. When trying to break the bolts loose try rocking the wrench back and forth instead of applying brute force only to the “off” direction. Also try wacking the head of the bolt a few times with a hammer — this sometimes helps loosen things up. Just do it. You sure as hell won’t get it done if you don’t try. Good Luck!

A: mentioned by others, be sure to check the frame to look for rust problems before you stick in a bunch of new bushings. The jagged edges of a rusty mount will eat up a new bushing. If you want to repair the area instead of replacing the sub-frame, look for some large washers to “sandwich” the frame and tack weld them into place. To keep the body alignment close do only one side at a time. as far a rusty body bolts, I’ve seen them come out with only half the bolt remaining. Instead of WD-40 (which is a lubricating/penetrant) I would use something like “Liquid Wrench” (a penetrent) because its designed to cut through rust. Another trick if you have access to a torch is to remove the front seats and carpet and heat the captured nuts (located in the seat pedestal area) before you try to remove the bolt. Good luck.

A: I just wanted to thank any & all that posted tips on body bushing replacement. I just finished doing mine in polyurethane. It was the best small dollar investment I’ve put into the car so far. No more steel against steel squeaks when ya touch a fender. The doors appeared to have bad hinges on it before the job. Now they line up and close like new. My front clip even looks more in line. I even got the bumper aligned better. Anyway…………THANKS again!!!

P.S. On the frame connectors….. (1) the bolt on ones can be welded in (but you’ll never be able to change 4 of the 6 cage nuts that retain the leaf springs) (2) Manufacturer recommends that you crossdrill where the subframe meets the connector and bolt each with 4 1/2″ bolts (3) they won’t fit a convertible without a notch in either the connectors or in the offending brace under the car. I choose to notch the connectors and weld plate back in the hole.

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A: It’s not that difficult to replace of you have a hydraulic jack and a little patience and do one side at a time.

First break loose all four body bushing bolts. You’ll probably need a breaker bar and a pipe extension. The sub-frame bolts are located at the base of the firewall and under the front seat pedestal. If they look rusty, you can soak them in a good rust penetrate for a couple of days before you try to break them loose. You’ll need to remove the seats and fold back the carpet to soak the two at the back of the subframe. The firewall bolts/nuts are accessible from the engine compartment or from under the car.

After you’ve broken all four loose, put a piece of 2×6 on top of the jack to spread the load and lift the body at the front of the rocker panel. As you lift, you’ll see the frame separate from the body. You’ll need to lift the body to gain about 3/4 inch separation to R&R the bushings. You may have to use a pry bar to assist in the separation. That’s about it.

A: I changed mine, but had the front sheet metal apart at the time. I sprayed each bushing, bolts, and nuts with penatrating oil the day before. I also had the carpet (and interior) out of the car so I could get at the captive nuts under the seats for the rearmost bushings. The front 2 are actually in the engine compartment near the inner wheelwell. The bolts broke loose pretty easily with a breaker bar. I then cleaned and painted the entire subframe.

One difficulty, and it wasn’t that bad, was aligning the subframe up with the holes in the floor when putting it back together. It took nearly an hour to do this, since the subframe arms needed to be squeezed together slightly to match the holes.

If you don’t want to remove the sheetmetal, I’d loosen, but not remove the 4 bolts. Then working on one side, remove one bolt completely, leaving the other loose, but with the nut in place.

Using jackstands to support the body (place a wide piece of wood at least 2″ thick to spread the contact area between the jackstand head and the foor of the car),pull the bushing out. At this point, I’d try to apply POR15 or some other rust inhibitor to the subframe area and body where the bushing sits. These areas are prone to rust, and this is the time to stop or prevent it. Some cars may in fact need repair if the rust is bad enough. The new bushings, like the old ones, are 2 pieces, with one sandwiched between the body and subframe. The other half fits under the bolt head, on the underside of the subframe.

With the new bushing and bolts in place, but not tightened down, do the other bushing on the same side. Now do the same with the other side. Once that’s done, you can tighten all four bolts down. The key here is not to completely remove both bolts on the same side, or to tighten any of them until all 4 are done.

With the weight of the engine, and front clip sitting on the subframe, this may add some degree of difficulty to the job. But I’d try it myself. I had my car apart because it was being prepped for body work and paint. And it needed a fair amount of the front clip replaced anyway. Well, ok, the whole front clip got replaced. Plus I have the knowledge that I took care of all the details in that area.

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My cars Billing History date is 12-14-67. Should my car have the round outside mirror, or rect? Right now it has the rect, but I’m sure it is a repro,installed when the car got painted in 1980.

A: Idon’t believe the rectangular O/S Remote Mirror came into production until sometime in March of 1968. The Outer Door Skin is actually different for the (2) types of mirrors (due to mounting hole configuration). This would be a clue as to which mirror was originally installed.

A: From preliminary research within the Registry Files, I’ve found that the 2nd Type (Rectangular) S.V. Mirror was being installed as early as the 2nd Week in Dec. ’67. Infact, two particular Firebirds in the Registry are very close in Build Sequence; both built the 2nd week in Dec. and one having the Round Mirror, the other with the Rectangular Mirror. Both are documented, original unrestored cars.

A: The 1967 and 1968 Firebird Remote Mirrors are different. The ‘left-over’ rule did not apply. I’ve never seen a documented 1968 Firebird with a 1967 Mirror. 1967 had a larger, longer Base while 1968 was rather stubby. The 1968 Firebird Mirror is not the same as the 1968 Camaro. Also, keep in mind that all other Pontiac Remote Mirrors in 1968 appear to be the same but upon closer inspection, the base is definitely different (different casting numbers too). The Round Mirror Housing itself is the same. Cable Length varied depending on Model.

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I bought a used rear mount antenna that is supposed to be correct for my 68 bird. I haven’t had a correct one (ever). Perhaps one of you can verify whether or not the mast is correct (The base sure looks correct from pictures I’ve seen). My mast is a single solid piece that has a slight taper to it (thicker at the bottom). It also has a round ball on top and is 29 1/2 inches from the top of the ball to the point where the rod begins at the tip of the conical base. I’m told it is correct for a 68 AM/FM rear mount, but the AM (only) antenna is slightly different.

Recently, someone else told me that the correct rear mount antenna is multi-sectioned, collapsible and has an oval top. Which is correct?

A: Sounds like some Camaro guy told you this was a correct AM/FM antenna. Truth is Firebird didnt have a different antenna for FM or AM. Really hard to say what you do have and would send it back if possible. The correct antenna mast is a multisection (3) with oval shape. The correct tip is oval with a groove. Correct lenght is 19″ tip to tip collapsed and 47 1/4″ fully extended. There are several variations of factory and replacement antennas . But the aforementioned is era correct. NOS masts for 67-8 are hard to find and are model specific. This adds to the hard to find formula. The mounting end is a threaded stud that has an exposed nut to lock the antenna mast into the correct position with the oval facing front to rear. This windcheater design also cut down on wind noise. Repro bases and bezels are avaliable but I know of no correct repro masts. 69 is a different story with a power mast also avaliable.

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Can you elaborate on what your steps were to replace the the body mounts? Did it affect the alignment?

A: the front bushing mounting platform (the thing the bushing sits on) there is a hole approximately 5/8 in is diameter. This hole lines up with an identical hole on the body. What they are there for is for body alignment when re-installing the subframe. All you do is take a piece of pipe ( I use a tire iron) and slide it through both holes (the frame and body holes) and make sure that they are vertically aligned.

If your replacing the bushings with out removing the subframe, the above procedure won’t be necessary. By only replacing one side at a time AND with front fenders bolted in place, the frame should remain in the correct position.

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One question. I have the opportunity to but a new 1968 remote GTO mirror for about $100 US. Does anyone know if it fits the firebirds of that year and if so is it a reasonable price?

A: ….The 1968 Firebird and GTO used slightly different SideView Remote Mirrors. The difference is in the Mounting Base. However, It should bolt on physically. I should have some pictures ready tonight or tomorrow that will show the difference between the two mirrors. $100 is a very good price for an NOS SideView Remote Mirror. Here are some Casting Numbers that should help you. They are located on the bottom of the mounting base….

1968 Firebird 9792566
1968 GTO 9787847
1968 FullSize 9787846

A:…The 1968 Firebird O/S Remote Control Mirror WAS different from the “A” and “B” bodies of that year. The difference is in the Base (or mounting pedestal).

In a side-view of the assembly, the dimension between the bottom of the Mirror Housing and the top edge of the Mounting Base is different between all models. Also, the distance from the back of the Mirror Housing to the inside curve of the Base is different. Besides this, the cable length varies from model to model.

Remote O/S Mirror Assembly Part Numbers:

1968 Firebird (round) 9792565

1968 Firebird (rect.) 3934583

1967 Firebird 3899857

1968 Tempest 9792564

1968 Full-Size 9792562 (also same ’65-’67 All exc. Firebird)

1968 Grand Prix 9793985

*These are ‘accessory numbers’; only good if NOS or still in original box.

So, be careful when you’re considering purchasing a mirror for your 1968 Firebird’ many parts dealers will try and tell you that ‘they’re all the same’ but it’s not so. Will other mirrors work and fit ? Sure; all depends on how picky you are. Things to consider are the Vent Window, and the Cable lengths as well as the Control Knob/Trim.

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My 1969 Firebird was originally equipped with a power antenna. When I bought the car a bent antenna with motor was unbolted and sitting in the trunk. I am not positive this assembly is the original one, but it correctly fits the mounting bracket and the wiring harness. The mast is chrome, four segments, and has a hex head which is rounded at the very top. A metal case fits over the lower 10.5″ of the mast and is attached to the motor assembly by three screws. The code ‘P – 6050’ is cast on this case, just below is the name ‘Empire’ in script, followed by ‘1 – T’. The motor case has ’11 – 22 8AAXA’ cast on it in a semi circle. Can anyone tell me about these codes, if they match codes on other Firebirds or codes in a reference book?

Two other points that someone can probably clear up: 1) I was told by a guy trying to sell me a new mast that there was a different power antenna for convertibles vs. coupes; and 2) if I reinstalled the antenna described above the mast would probably stick out of the rear fender 6+ inches when fully retracted, does this sound right?

A: The Optional Power Antenna for the 1969 Firebird was part number 9796289. The ‘Drive’ Assy itself was the same for the coupe or conv. The Mast was unique to the 1969 Firebird (pt. # 546557). Only the ’68-1969 Tempest had different Adaptors/Brackets for the Conv. No components were different on the 1969 Firebird conv. Empire was the Supplier for most Pontiac Power Antenna’s. ’11 – 22 8AAXA’ …this would be the Assy Build Date for the Antenna (Nov.22’68) The problem with the Mast would be…. since the only one being reproduced is the Mast common to the ‘A’ Bodies and Full Size Pontiacs (orig. # 541963) yu may find that fully retracted, your mast may stick out a little more than the original. The Firebird used a shorter mast than the Tempest, Grand Prix, Full-Size. With a little modification to the bottom part, you could duplicate your original.

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How do the radiator bushings fit? It’s a standard two piece rubber bushing, one half of the bushing has a metal sleeve, the other half is just rubber. Does the metal sleeve half fit in between the frame and support? Does this bushing use a large metal ‘washer’ like the body mount bushings do?

A: You’ve got the right idea. The bushing w/the metal sleeve fits between the frame and radiator support, with the sleeve protruding upward. The other rubber piece sits on top of the support, over the sleeve. This half of the bushing has a large hole on one side, and a smaller hole on the other. Place it with the large hole fac- ing downward. Two large washers are used, one on top, and another on the underside of the frame. In addition, you should have a med- ium sized washer, a lock washer, and nut. Push the bolt in from above with one of the large washers. Use the remaining washers on the bottom.

Some repro bushings are a little large for the radiator support hole (at least it was on mine), so some triming and filing may be required. In addition, the bolt was short. The GM bushings are correctly sized, and with the correct length bolts.

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Does anyone know the best way to remove the cable from the remote controlled mirror? I’m having mine replated and can’t figure out how to disconect the darn thing without destroying it.

A: Based on my past experience with second gen mirrors, the easiest way is to take the mirror apart and pull the remote end through the mirror base and housing. Hope this helps.

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Where does the 68 antenna go? I have seen front and back. How do I find out the correct placement for that?

A: …The Front Fender (RH) Antenna was the standard location on ’68 Firebirds Optional, was a Rear Quarter Mounted Antenna (RH). This will be noted on both the Body Broadcast Sheet (if you find it in your car) or on the Billing History. Parts are available (repro) for both applications. As far as antenna location… I use the Camaro assembly manual. It gives the exact dimension for the proper location (I assume Firebirds were located using the same).

A: To take you back to our original discussion, someone requested information on the factory location of the rear mounted antenna. Someone volunteered to measure some of his cars to determine the factory mounting location and send them to me. I, in turn, was to verify that his measurements and the factory drawing from a 68 Camaro assembly manual were the same. The confusing part was that the factory drawing listed the location at 114.25″ PV and 28.94″ PV with no description of what PV was. I suspected that the 114.25″ was from the firewall back and 28.94″ PV was from the centerline of the car.

I have confirmed that this is mostly true. The 28.94″ is indeed from the centerline if the car. The 114.25″ is from the front edge of the air box where the heater-A/C fan motor is located. This seam sticks out approximable one inch beyond the firewall. So if you want to use these measurements, use 113.25 from the firewall back.

He measured from the back of the car forward on three cars and got measurements of 14 1/2″, 15 1/4″, and 15 1/4″. He also noted that along with the 1.12″ diameter hole there is a small notch. This notch corresponds with the notch on the antenna base (called the bezel key) and I suppose it’s used to insure the correct rotation of the base.

The measurements for this notch is 0.14″ wide by 0.12″ long (approximately 1/8″ by 1/8th”) and rotated 75 degrees from horizontal (i.e., if standing behind the car while looking down at the hole it would be in approximately the 5 o-clock position.

He also noted that, although the hole and the notch were the same size in all cars, the notch was at a slightly different angle. This, along with the slightly different hole locations, gives reasons to believe that the factory used a hand punch and measureing tape to make the hole and not a machine.

The bottom line is this; if you mark the location for the hole approximable 15 1/4″ from the back and 27″ from the centerline of the car, drill a 1 1/8″ hole with an 1/8″ notch at 5 o-clock, you’ll do as good as the factory.

A: View the Camaro Assembly drawing for this which is the same application for the Firebird (Did not verify if the part numbers are the same for the Firebird):

A: I double checked my previous dimensions for locating the ’68 Firebird Rear Antenna Hole in the RH Rr. Qtr. Panel since some questions have come about differences seen with other originally equiped First Generation Firebirds:

As far as a “correct” measurement, there is no true correct answer. I’ve measured four Firebirds with rear antenna and no two were exactly the same. The process on the assembly line was not a true science but instead involved the placement of a template to roughly guide the location to stamp the hole for the rear antenna. It was a hastily done process like a lot of other processes on an assembly line during that era.

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Is the firewall the same color as the body? If not … does anyone have the paint codes for the (various?) colors (black?) needed for the subframe, firewall, inner guards, radiator support and so on? I have decoded the cowl tag and the color is D/D ie Alpine Blue upper / lower

A: Fire wall is semi gloss black. Paint from AMES or Year Ones is excellent.

A: I pulled this out of a 30th anniversary Camaro magazine but pretty sure it also applies to Firebird:

The above is for the “purists” who like the correct shade of black. I’ve had good luck with three parts cheap chassis black and one part universal flattening agent. Comes out semi flat and looks great on the firewall, and chassis.

A: You can contact the paint manufacturers on line, give them the color and year, and they will give you the codes or equivalent in base/clear. Or you can contact via 800 numbers. They are very helpful.

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I have a remote mirror from a 1968 Bonnie. Will it fit and look original on my 1968 Firebird?

A: The Base for a Firebird Mirror is unique. Slightly different than full size and the Tempest style. Physically, I believe it would work though, I’ve never tried it.

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Would it be easy to change the antenna to the back from the front? Mine is non-power and up front. I’ve seen a few birds with the antenna in the back. I think it looks sleeker in the back. Has anyone ever moved one from the front to the back and why were some up front vs.. in the back?

A: I’ve done the swap and intend to do it again on my current car. The mounting dimensions are on the website I believe under the tech section, so you should have no problems there. The only issue is that you have to weld in a patch on your front fender and paint it.

To my knowledge, the rear mount antenna was an option. The biggest issue is if you want an OEM unit, they are very difficult to find. I found a Camaro one, but is slightly different.

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What is the absolute most rugged and above all, correct paint for the underside of my 1968 bird??? I’m talking frame, floor boards, front wheel wells and firewall. In the recent issues of HPP, Jim’s 1967 was featured with talk about using PPG products and the various gloss levels. That’s great.. But which PPG products??? Anyone know? I want mine to be correct and I will use a spray gun rather than a spray bomb. Your helpful hints appreciated as always.

A: Here is what I got from a (gulp) Camaro restoration article. I can’t imagine the Firebirds being different:

Enamel is used for these pieces because it’s more durable than lacquer and will quickly wipe clean for “showing of” purposes.

A: In this day and age Im surprised that anyone would use laquer or enamel for a place like the underside of the body. There are many good urethanes that are far superior to enamels or laquers, for chip resistance,and general wear and tear. Most of these urethanes have flattening agents to get the proper dullness or gloss. You do need to play with mixing to get the proper amount of flattner vs. gloss. Anyone tried the POR-15 semi-gloss? Curious as to the correctness of the gloss. Also dont forget to do this before you paint body so you can get overspray on the rockers and into the cowl area as the factory did. Carefully mask the frame and leaf springs, and all cables lines etc. Just remember how this was all done at the factory.

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Are the doors/door skins from camaro are interchangeable with firebird???

A: Door skins and doors are interchangeable between like years of Firebirds and Camaros. The only difference you may run into is “bird” etched glass. Also note that hinges are different.

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Is the 1968 Bird AM front fender mounted Antenna the same as the 1968 Canaro front fender antenna???

A: The Antenna Body, Bezel and Nut are identical. As for the Mast, I would think it’s the same as well… difference would be minor if any.

A: If memory serves me right the mast is different,theres no “AM/FM” pontiac antenna, chevy there is, body is same, large nut is the same I think bezel is different.

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Here’s one for you old guys. When you bought a car back in 67-70 was the under side painted/coated? Were all these cars rolling off the line with shiny silver bottoms? I seem to remember my Dad talk about the dealer undercoating the car as an extra. And it was that black tar like stuff; cause that seems to be whats on the under side of my convertible.

A: As far as the underbelly of these “vintage” cars, they were painted. Undercoating was a dealer installed option. The owner of the car I just finished restoring opted to do without it.

Because of the superior coatings and galvanizing, the new cars actually do better without it.

A: My 1968 Sprint Bird came from dealer with an undercoating and a paint treatment called “Ming Paint Treatment”. ( and we think of dealer add ons as a new thing) The undercoating was /is a yellowish waxy paraffin substance that looks like beeswax. It was easily removed with lots of rags and mineral spirits.(better than scraping). All areas other than overspray of body color would be semi-gloss black. As far as I know the factory didnt offer rust prevention/undercoating until the 80s. A friend bought a T/A new in 78 and tried his darnedst to order car with it. He ended up going to Rusty Jones and having it done.

A: I will clarify this myself before someone reads it wrong.. The undercoating at each wheel well that is neatly masked off when sprayed on is factory. This was used more as a sound deadner that a rust proofing/ undercoating. Ive heard some people say they scraped it off, but if its not rusted around it ,so as to get underneath then I would leave it alone. It is hard to duplicate the texture of this sound deadner and this stuff really works good. As far as the rest of the underside of car factory didnt offer it. An option on the GTOs was to delete sound deadner and body dum dum. It saved alittle under 100#s and was mainly for drag racers..

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Need help on 1967 door question, Is the door the same for convert. and coupes? I looked at classic’s catalog and the have complete inner and outers for sale at some later date and no convert. listed for door. Does the vent window unbolt for shipment?/p>

A: The doors were different each year, but the same as the same year of Camaro. Your 1968 will need doors from another 1968, Camaro or Firebird.

A: That depends…….. if you have an early or late 1968 Firebird, they changed the design of mirror so door was also changed. Camaro stayed the same thru the year.

A: …Doors were common for 1967-1969 Coupes and Convertibles however, each year was different (different part numbers) due to Vent Window only in 1967, different Mirrors in 1968, new panels in 1969. Yes, the Vent Window Assy unbolts from the door and the glass assy is separate from the Weather Seal Assy.

A: I’d only add that 1967 doors used a 3 bolt hinge and the 1968 and 1969 cars used 4 bolt hinges. This makes the 1967 and 1968 further incompatible.

The door shells offered by Classic industries are just that, shells. They won’t come with the vent window frame work. You would be expected to transfer that, as well as all of the other internal parts in your door to the new shell. This isn’t very complicated.

See the Jan. 2000 issue of Chevy High Performance, “Just Wing It”, for a description of removing this part (as well as weather stripping install), as well as your “1967 Fisher Body Guide”.

A: 1967, 1968, and 1969 doors do not interchange. 1967 hinges are a 3 bolt type, and the 1968/1969 are a 4 bolt type. 1968 and 1969 don’t interchange because of the obvious difference in shape/character lines.

The aftermarket rear quarters will work with a fair amount of body work. I understand that convertibles represent more of a challange to get them to work. In somecases, rust free used quarters from the Southwest are a good alternative.

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I’ve got the Black tar like stuff on the bottom of my 68, I’m trying to get it off so I can prime the under side. It’s sticky and a pain to removal. Anyone have any tips?

A: Sounds like the undercoating I had on my convertible. The way I removed the junk was to heat it with a propane torch just until it becomes soft. I would then scrape it off using a cheap scraper. I rounded the corners of the scraper so I wouldn’t gouge the metal. When I heated the undercoating, it would peel off in strips. Once I had removed the most of it, I used a Scotchbright scrubbing pad, mineral sprits, and a rag. I feel for you. It’s a nasty job. Be sure to wear gloves and goggles.

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Does anyone know if you can put 1968 firebird doors on a 1967 firebird and make them work?also what about partial rear 1/4s vs full gm 1/4s(camaro)? I haven’t heard very good things about partial 1/4s-alignment, bird louvers behind doors.

A: 1967, 1968, and 1969 doors do not interchange. 1967 hinges are a 3 bolt type, and the 1968/1969 are a 4 bolt type. 1968 and 1969 don’t interchange because of the obvious difference in shape/character lines.

The aftermarket rear quarters will work with a fair amount of body work. I understand that convertibles represent more of a challange to get them to work. In somecases, rust free used quarters from the Southwest are a good alternative.

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Guys do any of you know if the subframe up front is the same on a 1968 as a 69???

A: There are some subtle differences in 67-9 sub frames. Functionally they will interchange. All three have differences in the steering linkages not just 69.

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Just looking for some information on door hinges. I have a 1969 coupe which has hinges that are in pretty bad shape on the drivers door. Such as not giving the door enough support to open or close properly. I have heard of some hinges being rebuilt some way or another. Also curious about interchangeable hinges such as from a camaro. Any information would be appreciated.

A: All hinges from 1967, 1968, and 1969 are NOT interchangeable. The only hinges that will work are 1969 Camaro and Firebird. National Parts Depot has rebuild kits for upper and lower hinges and a replacement detent roller. Their number is 1-800-874-7595.

Before purchasing, be aware that if the hinges are worn to the point where you’ve “oval-ed” the holes, it’s best to buy new or original used.

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I know that the 1967 and 1968 subframes are different. Can someone tell me something I can measure to tell which year I have. My wife’s bird had a 1968 nose on it when we got it and I wonder if the subframe was changed as well.

A: You don’t need to measure anything. The easiest way to tell is the steering linkage. The 1967 Firebird was the first and last year to position the linkage behind the front wheels instead of in front.

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A: 1967 hinges are a 3 bolt design, the 1968 and later being a 4 bolt design. No chance of interchange.

Some hinges use a larger bushing than others, though I’ve not seen any documentation that indicates that it is related to a specific year or model. There are some kits that provide both sized bushings so that the retailer need only stock one part number that covers just about all GM cars.

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Caster and Camber specs were listed by the aftermarket (like alignment equipment manufacturers; Hunter etc.) to have a range, like caster was +1/2 degree, plus or minus 1/2 degree; and camber was 1/4 degree plus or minus 1/2 degree. These were prone to lesser technicians stating “good enough” when the car was wearing tires and pulling to one side. Evenly matched settings from one side to the other are best, with a slight offset to compensate for road crown in some parts of the country, where the road shape pushes the car towards the ditches.

When I used to do alignments (and I’ve done probably thousands) during the 70’s when people were putting radial tires on cars that came with bias or bias/belted tires, the industry standard was to add 2 degrees of caster to whatever the specification was. It is not usually possible to get 2-1/2 degrees of positive caster on most 67-69 F-cars unless you add offset control arm shafts, but anything over the 1/2 degree is very helpful on radial tire, especially with wider tires. In addition, keep the camber and toe-in minimal with wider tires for prolonged tire wear life.

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I ordered a set of 1967-1968 Door Edge Guards (Repro). They advertise that these are exact replicas offered at a less expensive price than original replacements. They do not look correct so how do I know if they are correct.

A: …I’ve noticed many places selling ‘correct’ or ‘original’ Door Edge Guards for the 1967, 1968, and 1969 Firebird however, most all are the press-on style (replacement, also used on Camaro). The original GM style for the Firebird was a screw-on type. I have a set of NOS ones and they fit perfectly.

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I removed my front subframe assembly to repair the bodymounts as the holes had rusted out to more than double their original size. I patched them with body mount repair plates from Performance Years. All looked good before welding, however I must have screwed up after I took my measurements because the front mount holes are now about 2/10″ length wise off each other. Didn’t notice that it had move before I welded and now I figure it out after the frame has been primed and painted……Can I get away with this small inconsistency?

A: Use two 3/4 in diameter rods to line the body with subframe before modifying any mounts. There is an alignment hole on the lower cowl section that this rod will fit into and should be perpendicular to frame if aligned right.This can be slid up and into the cowl from underneath the car.

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Is there a difference for the door latch assy betweent the years and no difference between standard and custom interior?

A: The Door Latch Assy was different for all (3) years on the 1st Generation Firebird. This was actually referred to as the “Door Lock Assy”. You are correct; there was no difference between the Lock Assy for Custom or Std. Trim. There was however, a difference between the inside Handle Remote Control (Latch Release Mechanism) as well as the Link Rod for this for the Cust. & Std. Trim Option.

From what you describe, it sounds as if you may have a defective Lock (Latch) Assy or, they are from another type of vehicle. Be sure you have the correct Lock Assy and O/S Handle & Button Assy for your specific car.

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I need the part # for the wheel well plugs. I noticed one of mine was missing during my undercoater removal. The under coating was so thick, I didn’t know there were plugs there till I hit them w/ the screw driver. Maybe that missing plug allowed all the garbage out, because my rockers are in great shape.

A: The part number for the wheel well plugs is GM#0480-5844. The only difference between the original plug and the new plug is the original had the part number molded into the back side (that’s how I found these), otherwise, they are identical.

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Is there a vent (black louver looking) in your quarter panels in the door jamb. This was supposed to be on all 1968 and later models for flow through ventilation after Pontiac got rid of the wing windows.

A: The 1968 coupe has the vents in the door jamb, the convertibles DO NOT! In 1969 both body styles got the vents.

A: The convertible quarters did not have these vents. The hardtops do. This is a flow through vent system that took the place of the wing windows in 67. This is the reason the convertibles did not have the vents (enough air leaks). Hope this helps.

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